Church of the Presidents

The Church of the Presidents, originally St. James Episcopal Church, stands in Long Branch on the Jersey Shore. In the late 19th century Long Branch was the most fashionable summer resort on the American East Coast, comparable in standing to Deauville in France. Consecrated in 1879, the church was attended during summer stays by at least seven sitting U.S. presidents - Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Harrison, McKinley and Wilson - which gave it the nickname. James Garfield was brought to a summer house nearby after his shooting in 1881 and died there. The church is no longer used for services; a local society now runs it as a museum on Long Branch's history as a resort, with seasonal opening hours.