Its development has paralleled and sometimes spurred that of the Garrison community itself, and it was accepted for listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

The new complex was possibly named St. Philip's in honor of the Philipse family, original patentees of the area and Robinson's in-laws.

John Doty, the first rector of both churches, left for Nova Scotia after a few years as he was a staunch Loyalist in an area increasingly divided over revolutionary politics.

Robinson, too, declined an invitation from his friend John Jay to swear allegiance to the newly created United States, and actively worked to support the British by organizing the Loyal American Legion and coordinating intelligence-gathering efforts.

[2] A similar fate would befall half of St. Philip's families, and the church was so despised locally for its Tory associations that legend has it a mob came together to burn it down at one point during the later years.

Andrew Fowler, who himself left after a few years to help establish the Episcopal Church in South Carolina.

The completion of the Hudson River Railroad through nearby Garrison Landing had made the community more accessible to New York City and a desirable place to live for some of the most socially prominent families of the day, many of whom were congregants.

At the turn of the century, a parish house was built to the designs of George E. Harney and William S. Purdy, former residents of Cold Spring and architectural partners.

[2] William Reisman, who began a 27-year tenure as rector that same year, modernized and redecorated many of the buildings, adding protective covers for the stained-glass windows.

Under his successor, Francis Geer, the church installed a new pipe organ and replaced the roof and interior floor of the parish house, used as a meeting for many of Garrison's community groups.