This is the mother church of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America Diocese of Chicago. It is located on the corner of Huron and Wabash Streets in the city of Chicago. Along with the Greek Orthodox Annunciation Cathedral on LaSalle Street and the Roman Catholic Holy Name Cathedral on State Street, these churches form the Cathedral District of Chicago.

Originally founded as a parish church in 1834, St. James is the oldest church of the Anglican Communion and Episcopal tradition in the Chicago area. The original church was rebuilt in 1857 in the Gothic revival style but the majority of the building apart from the bell tower was destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. The church was rebuilt incorporating the bell tower into the new building.

Following a fire at the Episcopal Cathedral of Sts. Peter & Paul in Chicago’s West side in 1921, St. James was designated the pro-cathedral in 1928 for a few years. In 1955 the church was officially designated the Cathedral of the Diocese.