Ever since Elmhurst was established in 1652 as the town of Middleburgh (later Newtown), it had been religiously diverse, although the Church of England became the Province of New York's official religion in 1693.

The church was extensively repaired and expanded several times in the 18th and 19th centuries, including a major expansion in 1883.

[5] The Church of England became the Province of New York's official religion after the passage of the Ministry Act of 1693.

[8][9] As a consequence of the act, the parish of Jamaica was extended to cover the towns of Flushing and Newtown.

[7] Subsequently, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG) became responsible for appointing the parish's Anglican rectors, who generally served multiple congregations at the time.

The community in Jamaica grew into Grace Church; the one in Flushing became St. George's; and the one in Newtown became St.

[15] Following the appointment of Reverend Thomas Colgan as Jamaica rector in 1732, the number of congregants in the Mission Church at Newtown increased.

Work began in early 1735 and was finished in 1736; records name Joseph Moore as the builder and James Renne Jr. as the carpenter.

[16][17][19][21] As completed, the church building was "box-like" with wood shingles and round-arched windows, as well as a tower with a steeple and weather vane on its west.

[22][23] The boxed pews nearest the minister were generally reserved for the most important members of the community, while indentured servants, apprentices, slaves, and Native Americans were seated in the upper level of the tower.

[28][29] The same month, doctor Jacob Ogden deeded 12 acres (4.9 ha) to the parish, including a house; this land was located at 84-07 Broadway, two blocks north of the existing church, between St. James and Corona avenues.

[35][37][38] At the end of the war, St. James Parish became part of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States.

[40] The congregation moved to the St. James Episcopal Church, a wood Gothic Revival structure at 84-07 Broadway.

[45] St. James Parish became part of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island when the latter was founded in 1868.

[49] When the New York City Subway's underground Queens Boulevard Line was being built through the area in the 1920s and early 1930s, an easement was granted to the New York City Board of Transportation, which was digging the line under the church as part of the Independent Subway System.

[52] St. James Church is located at the southwest corner of 51st Avenue and Broadway in Elmhurst.

[24] Historically, the church served the town of Newtown (later renamed Elmhurst), and it was on the north bank of the now-covered Horse Brook.

[15] The main section of the church measures 58 by 30 feet (17.7 by 9.1 m), with its longer axis running west-east parallel to 51st Avenue.

[54][45] The front entrance is on the eastern facade, facing Broadway, and is composed of double doors underneath a circular window measuring about 5 feet (1.5 m) in diameter.

[53] As with the main portion of the building, it has a gable roof with eaves overhanging the northern and southern facades.

[24] The western annex occupies the site of the church's former tower, which was topped by a steeple and a weather vane.

According to a letter written to state senator Tony Avella in 2015, the commission said that the designation was rejected because it "was significantly remodeled in 1883 and was resided in the 20th century leaving little historic fabric on the exterior".

[56] The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island expressed support for such a designation, and the commission agreed to hold another meeting to determine whether to grant the church landmark status.