Cross Island Chapel

As if being the world’s smallest church was not unique enough, the Cross Island Chapel is also stranded in the middle of a pond.

The tiny white, clapboard chapel sticks out from the middle of the lush pond surroundings on a floating jetty just large enough to moor one rowboat to. The room was built in 1989 and has under 30 square feet of space on the inside. Just large enough for a bride, a groom and someone to wed them, so long as they don’t mind getting crammed together. The titular Cross Island is nowhere to be seen, but there is a small cross jutting out from some exposed rocks in the pond, which is the most likely candidate.

Know Before You Go

Head south toward Oneida from Thruway Exit 33 (Verona). Take a right on Sconondoa Road, which is not quite in town. Go for maybe a mile until Sconondoa Road bends to the left. Don't go left, go straight on to Mason Road, and immediately slow down. You'll see the church on the north (right) side. We're talking a three-mile detour one way at most from the Thruway.

Atlas Obscura Trips