First Presbyterian Church (Utica, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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First Presbyterian Church
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1605 Genesee Street, Utica, New York |
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| 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 is a historic church building in Utica, New York. It is a special place with a long history. The church and a nearby building called the McKinnon House were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. This means they are important historic sites.
These buildings are known for their beautiful design from the early 1900s. The church was designed by a famous architect named Ralph Adams Cram and built in 1922. The McKinnon House was designed by C. Edward Vosbury and built earlier, in 1899. In 1961, the church and the McKinnon House were connected. New classrooms, a large hall, and a modern kitchen were added. A special organ was also installed.
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Helping the Community
The First Presbyterian Church helps the community in many ways. It runs several programs to support people in need.
Seeds of Hope Food Pantry
The church has a food pantry called "Seeds of Hope." It provides healthy food and other items to families in the area. This pantry works with other local churches. You can visit the pantry on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM.
The Clothes Closet
The Clothes Closet offers free, clean clothes to anyone who needs them. They have many sizes for adults, children, and babies. The closet is open on Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. If you want to donate clothes, you can drop them off every Wednesday morning.
Free Thanksgiving Dinner
Every year since 1978, the church has prepared a free Thanksgiving dinner. This meal is for everyone in the community. If someone cannot come to the church, they can arrange to have a meal delivered. Dinner is served from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM on Thanksgiving Day.
Support for Young Learners
The church also helps with early education. It provides space for Universal Pre-K classes. These classes have about 80 students who attend five half-day sessions each week. The church also helps the First Nursery School of Utica. This school has classes for 3-year-old children three mornings a week. The church even offers scholarships to some students.
Church History
The First Presbyterian Church has a very long history in Utica.
Early Beginnings
Before Utica became a city in 1832, it was a small village called Fort Schuyler. The First Presbyterian Church started there in 1793. It was the first church in what would become Utica. At first, it was part of "The United Society of Whitestown." In 1794, this society joined the Presbytery of Albany. It was the westernmost Presbyterian church at that time.
The first pastor was Rev. Bethuel Dodd. He started his work on August 21, 1794. He served both the Whitestown and Fort Schuyler groups.
Growing in Utica
The Fort Schuyler group officially became a church in 1804. They first met in the village schoolhouse. Later, they used Trinity Episcopal Church until they could build their own place. In 1807, their first church was built on lower Washington Street. After 20 years, it was taken apart to make way for a bigger building.
A new, larger church was dedicated in 1827. It was made of brick and had a tall spire, 215 feet high. In 1813, Rev. Henry Dwight became the first full-time pastor for the Utica church. The church then took the name "The First Utica Presbyterian Society." This is still its legal name today.
New Buildings and Locations
In 1851, a big fire damaged the church. After the fire, a new building was constructed. This "Old First Church" was built in the Romanesque Revival style. It stood at the corner of Washington and Columbia Streets. This building served the church for almost 70 years.
In 1919, the church decided to move. They chose a new location "uptown," which was then considered a suburban area of Utica.
The Current Church Building
In May 1921, the church bought the MacKinnon-Borst estate. This is where the church stands today. While they planned the new church, services were held in a temporary spot.
Ralph Adams Cram, a famous architect, was chosen to design 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 walnut pews from the old Washington Street church. This helped decide the size of the new building. Some decorative wood from the old church was also used in Brewer Chapel.
Construction for the new church began in July 1922. The cornerstone was laid in December of that year. The church was finished and dedicated on Sunday, 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
The building now called the Church House was built in 1899. It was a very fancy private home for Robert MacKinnon. It cost him $150,000 to build. Later, MacKinnon faced financial problems. In 1911, Charles A. Borst bought the home for $40,000. After Mr. Borst passed away, his wife sold the house for $50,000. A group of business people planned to turn it into apartments. However, the church became interested in the property. The price then went up to $65,000.
In 1961, the Church and the Church House were connected. New classrooms, a large Fellowship Hall, and a modern kitchen were added. A Casavant Freres organ was also installed.
Mission and Outreach
Throughout its history, the First Presbyterian Church has focused on helping others. It has sent out at least 17 missionaries and trained 24 ministers. The first Home Missionary Society started in 1843. In 1877, the women's Missionary Society was formed.
As of February 2020, the church building was for sale.
