First Presbyterian Church (Utica, New York) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
First Presbyterian Church
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in New York Show map of New York Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	1605 Genesee Street, Utica, New York
Built	1899 (McKinnon House); 1920 (church)
Architect	C. Edward Vosbury (McKinnon House); Ralph Adams Cram (church)
Architectural style	Colonial Revival, Beaux Arts
NRHP reference No.	88002172
Added to NRHP	November 3, 1988

The First Presbyterian Church in Utica, New York, is a special old building. It's known for its beautiful design from the early 1900s. The church building and another building next to it, called the McKinnon House, were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. This means they are important historical places in the United States.

The church was designed by a famous architect named Ralph Adams Cram and finished in 1922. The McKinnon House was built earlier, in 1899, and designed by C. Edward Vosbury. In 1961, the church and the McKinnon House were connected. New classrooms, a big hall, and a modern kitchen were added. A special organ was also installed.

Helping the Community: Ministries at First Church

The First Presbyterian Church helps its community in many ways. They have several programs that offer support to people in need.

Food Pantry: Seeds of Hope

• The Seeds of Hope Food Pantry gives food to families living near the church.
• It's a team effort with other local churches.
• The pantry is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Clothes Closet: Free Clothing for All

• The Clothes Closet provides free, clean clothes.
• They have sizes for adults, kids, and babies.
• You can get clothes on Thursdays.
• Donations of clothes are accepted on Wednesday mornings.

Thanksgiving Dinner: A Community Tradition

• Every year since 1978, the church has served a free Thanksgiving dinner.
• It's a big meal for anyone in the community.
• If people can't come to the church, meals can be delivered to their homes.
• Dinner is served on Thanksgiving Day from noon to 2:00 pm.

Learning and Growing: Pre-K and Nursery School

• The church helps the Universal Pre-K and First Nursery School of Utica.
• They offer scholarships to some students.
• Classrooms and offices for the schools are inside the church building.
• The Universal Pre-K program has about 80 students.
• The nursery school for 3-year-olds meets three mornings a week.

A Look Back: History of First Presbyterian Church

The First Presbyterian Church has a long and interesting history. It's the oldest church in Utica.

Early Beginnings: Fort Schuyler to Utica

• The church started in 1793, even before Utica became a city in 1832.
• Back then, Utica was a small village called Fort Schuyler.
• The church was first part of "The United Society of Whitestown."
• In 1794, it became part of the Presbytery of Albany.
• This made it the westernmost Presbyterian church at that time.

First Pastors and Buildings

• The first pastor, Rev. Bethuel Dodd, started in 1794.
• He worked for both the Whitestown and Fort Schuyler churches.
• The Fort Schuyler group officially became a church in 1804.
• They first met in a schoolhouse, then used Trinity Episcopal Church.
• In 1807, their first church building was built on Washington Street.
• A larger brick church with a tall spire was built in 1827.
• In 1813, Rev. Henry Dwight became the first full-time pastor.
• The church then took its current legal name: "The First Utica Presbyterian Society."

Moving Uptown: A New Location

• A big fire in 1851 destroyed the church.
• A new church, called Old First Church, was built in the Romanesque Revival style.
• This building was used for almost 70 years.
• In 1919, the church decided to move to a new area, which was then considered a suburb.
• In May 1921, they bought the MacKinnon-Borst estate. This is where the church is today.
• The MacKinnon house is now the Church House. It's also called "Molly's House" and hosts events.

Designing the New Church

• Ralph Adams Cram, a famous architect, designed the new church.
• He also designed the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City.
• A key part of the plan was to reuse the old walnut pews from the Washington Street church.
• Some decorative wood from the old building was also used in the new Brewer Chapel.

Building and Dedication

• Construction on the new church began in July 1922.
• The cornerstone was laid in December 1922.
• The church was ready and dedicated on May 11, 1924.
• The total cost of building the church was over $275,000.
• Most of this money was raised quickly in May 1922.

The McKinnon House Story

• The building now called the Church House was built in 1899.
• It was a very fancy home for Robert MacKinnon.
• It cost him $150,000 to build.
• MacKinnon later faced money problems.
• In 1911, Charles A. Borst and his wife bought the house for $40,000.
• After Mr. Borst passed away, Mrs. Borst sold the house in 1918 for $50,000.
• A group wanted to turn it into apartments.
• But then the church became interested in the property.
• The price quickly went up to $65,000 for the church to buy it.

Connecting the Buildings

• In 1961, the church and the Church House were connected.
• This project added classrooms, a Fellowship Hall, and a new kitchen.
• A Casavant Freres organ was also installed at this time.

A Focus on Missions

• Throughout its history, First Presbyterian Church has focused on helping others.
• Many people from the church have become missionaries or ministers.
• The first Home Missionary Society started in 1843.
• The women's Missionary Society was formed in 1877.

The church building was for sale in February 2020.