It is the oldest church in the Chicago area of the Anglican Communion and Episcopal tradition, having been founded in 1834.^[1] Originally built as a parish church, that building was mostly destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire. Only the bell tower survived, and this was incorporated into the rebuilt church, including the soot-stained stones around the top of the tower which remain black today. St. James received the status of cathedral in 1928 after the Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul was destroyed in a fire in 1921, but the arrangement was terminated in 1931. On May 3, 1955, St. James was again designated the cathedral and was formally set apart on June 4, 1955.^[2] The church is led by the Episcopal Bishop of Chicago.

Together with the Roman Catholic Holy Name Cathedral on State Street and the Greek Orthodox Annunciation Cathedral on LaSalle Street, the churches form the Cathedral District of Chicago.^{[citation needed]}

The following had headed the cathedral as its dean:

• 2015–2022: Dominic Barrington

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  Original church pre-fire
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  Remains of the original church after the Great Fire of 1871
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  Rebuilt church in 1913

• List of the Episcopal cathedrals of the United States
• List of cathedrals in the United States

•   Media related to St. James Cathedral (Chicago) at Wikimedia Commons