Bloomingburg Reformed Protestant Dutch Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bloomingburg Reformed
Protestant Dutch Church |
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Front (south) elevation and west profile, 2008
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| Location | Bloomingburg, NY |
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| Nearest city | Middletown |
| Area | 1.5 acres (6,100 m2) |
| Built | 1821 |
| Architect | Peter Weller and George Miller |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002779 |
| Added to NRHP | 1980 |
The Bloomingburg Reformed Protestant Dutch Church is a very old and beautiful building in Bloomingburg, New York. It was built in 1821 and is one of the oldest churches in Sullivan County. This special building looks much like it did when it was first built.
Its tall bell tower, which is about 80 feet (24 meters) high, can be seen from far away. It is a well-known sight in the area. In 1980, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historical places in the United States. Today, the building is a museum that teaches about local history. People in the town recently voted to keep it as a museum, instead of selling it to another church.
Contents
What the Church Looks Like
The church building has two floors. It is covered in white wooden boards called clapboard. The strong wooden frame rests on a stone foundation. The roof has a gentle slope and is covered with asphalt shingles. There is one chimney on the east side.
The Tower and Front Entrance
The church's main entrance is at the front, under the tall tower. This tower sticks out from the building. It has several parts that get smaller as they go up. Near the top, there is a narrow decorative band with small brackets.
Each side of the tower has a window. The front and sides have small round windows. The back has a small rectangular window. For a long time, there has been a painted clock face on the tower, set at 11:07.
The belfry, where the bells are, is above this. It has eight sides and is very fancy. It has columns that frame panels, some with slats (louvers) and some plain. The very top part also has slats. The tower ends with an eight-sided dome and a weathervane.
The front of the church has three entrances. The main entrance has two doors set back a bit. Above these doors is a fan-shaped window with crisscrossing designs. The side entrances have similar designs.
Windows and Inside the Church
Both sides of the church have many windows on both floors. These are tall, double-hung windows. The back of the church has no special decorations at the roofline. It has one window on each floor, similar to the side windows.
Inside, a small entry room separates the main door from the main church area, called the sanctuary. The side entrances lead right into the sanctuary. The altar is made of plain wood. Above it, the wall has an oval-shaped frame.
On either side of the church, there are balconies called galleries. These are supported by thin, eight-sided columns. They have railings. The lower part of the walls, up to the window sills, is covered with wooden panels.
Most of the wood inside, except for the altar and balcony railings, is painted white. Much of this wood is original to the building. The ceilings are made of pressed metal.
Stone steps lead from the front of the church to a stone walkway. This walkway goes down more steps to Main Street. Behind the church, there is a small house that used to be where the church minister lived.
Church Design and Style
The Bloomingburg Reformed Protestant Dutch Church looks like churches built in New England after 1800. It also shares some features with designs by a famous architect named Charles Bulfinch. It was common for builders to copy church designs from other places back then.
The church's steeple seems similar to a design found in an important book from 1797 called The Country Builder's Assistant by Asher Benjamin. However, unlike other designs, this church's tower does not have a small triangle shape (pediment) on the front. Also, having three entrances at the front was more common in New York than in New England.
History of the Church
A group called the Associate Reformed Church started in Bloomingburg in 1799. Then, in 1819, some members wanted a minister recognized by the Dutch Reformed Church. So, they started their own church, the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Bloomingburgh. They chose a small hill overlooking the village to build their church.
Building the Church
The first stone of the church was laid in 1821. Church records say that Peter Weller, a church leader, and George Miller, a local builder, were in charge of building it. A year later, the church seats, called pews, were finished. The church officially opened in December 1822.
The inside of the church was a bit different at first. The altar was near the entrance. In the middle of the 1800s, changes were made. The box-like pews were changed to simpler ones. The balconies were made longer, and a choir loft (where the choir sings) was added. A new bell was put in the tower in 1868.
Later Changes and New Uses
In the late 1880s, the outside of the church was updated. The roof edges were extended, and decorative brackets were added. In 1901, a beautiful stained-glass window was put above the front door. Other stained-glass windows were added later but are now gone. New carpets and pews were installed around that time too.
To celebrate the church's 100th birthday in 1922, the small house for the minister was built. In 1950, the roof was changed from tin to asphalt shingles. This was the last big change to the outside of the church.
By 1962, fewer people were attending the church. So, the congregation joined with the local Methodist Church. They formed the Community Church of Bloomingburg. For a while, the old Reformed Church building was used as a school. But then, a new school part was added to the Community Church building. The old church was then sold to the county.
Becoming a Museum
For a few years, the old church was not taken care of. Some things inside were stolen or damaged. In 1977, a group called the Bloomingburg Restoration Foundation was started. Their goal was to save the church and turn it into a museum about local history. Today, you can visit it as a museum by making an appointment. In 1999, the county gave the church building to the Town of Mamakating.
In 2017, the town wanted to sell the church building. The Bloomingburg Restoration Foundation, which was renting the building for $1 a year, worked hard to keep it as a museum. They collected many signatures from people who wanted to vote on the sale. In 2018, the town held a vote, called a referendum. The people of Bloomingburg voted by a large number to stop the sale. This meant the church building would stay as a museum for the community.
