Greenville Presbyterian Church (New York) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Greenville Presbyterian Church
East elevation and north profile of church and chapel (foreground), 2008
Religion
Affiliation	Presbyterian
Year consecrated	1860
Status	Not active
Location
Location	Greenville, NY
Architecture
Architectural type	church and chapel
Architectural style	Greek Revival
Groundbreaking	1860
Completed	1860
Specifications
Direction of façade	East
Materials	Wood
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Added to NRHP	March 28, 1985
NRHP Reference no.	85000657

The Greenville Presbyterian Church is a historic group of buildings in Greenville, New York. It is located on Route 32, just north of Route 81. In 1985, its three main buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites in the United States.

The church itself was started in 1790. It was the first non-Dutch church in the Catskill area. The church building you see today was built in 1860. It is a great example of the Greek Revival style. A chapel was added in 1885, and a school building, now part of the local library, was built in 1906.

Exploring the Church Buildings

The Greenville Presbyterian Church property has three main buildings. These buildings are all considered important to its historic listing. They are located along Route 32 in the center of Greenville. Nearby are properties owned by the Town of Greenville and the Greenville High School.

The Main Church Building

The church building is one and a half stories tall. It sits on a strong stone foundation. The sides are covered in wood siding called clapboard. The front, which faces east, has smooth wooden boards.

The front of the church features square pillars and a triangular pediment. On top of this is a three-story tower. This tower has a belfry (where bells are kept) and an eight-sided, gold-colored spire with a weathervane. Each section of the tower has corner pilasters (flat, decorative columns) and overhanging eaves (the part of the roof that hangs over the walls). A small stained glass window is at the front of the tower's base.

Behind the pillars is the main entrance. It has decorative pilasters that support a full entablature (a fancy horizontal band). Above the double doors, there is another stained glass window. On each side of the doors, there are fluted (grooved) Ionic columns in front of small windows. Decorative corner pilasters support the gabled roof and its cornice (a decorative molding).

The north and south sides of the church have four large stained glass windows. There is also a smaller window on the north side. The back of the church has a single window. A brick chimney rises from the south side of the roof.

Inside the Church

When you step inside, you enter the vestibule (an entrance hall). Small rooms are on either side. In the main area, called the nave, the oak pews curve towards the chancel (the area around the altar). The dark oak pulpit (where the minister speaks) is raised. It has decorative balustrades (railings) on each side. Behind the pulpit is a large, decorative cornice with pilasters and columns, similar to the entrance. The organ is in a special recess.

At the back of the church, there is a gallery (a balcony) and stairs leading to the bell tower. The inside of the church is lit by a chandelier over the pulpit and teardrop lights over the seating area. The ceiling is made of plaster with canted (sloped) corners. The side walls have wainscoting (wood paneling) and a molded entablature. All the large windows have wide, molded frames.

The Chapel Building

The chapel was built about 25 years after the main church. It is similar in style but smaller. It is a one-story building with wood siding and a stone foundation. It has a gently sloped roof and a smaller bell tower with a pointed roof.

The front of the chapel shows some Italianate style. This includes an overhanging cornice with a full entablature. The chapel's double-doored entrance has a projecting cornice. This cornice has decorative scroll-sawn (cut with a scroll saw) brackets and hanging decorations.

The back of the chapel has a small wing with a sloped roof, windows, and a door. The inside of the chapel has been changed over time. However, it still has its original wainscoting and window frames.

The Old School Building

The school building is the newest of the three, built in 1906. It is a square, two-story building made of similar materials. It has a pyramid-shaped roof with a brick chimney near the top. The roof has exposed rafter ends (the ends of the roof beams) at its edge.

The entrance is a rebuilt version of the one from the previous school building. It has a porch with Doric columns that support a full balustrade (railing). The double-doored entrance has a wide transom (a window above the door). The inside of the building has been updated a lot. However, the first-floor hallway still has its original tin-embossed ceiling. This building is now used as the town library and offices.

Architectural Style

The Greek Revival style became popular in the 1820s. It was liked by a country that felt connected to the ancient Greek ideas of freedom and democracy. By the 1850s, this style was less common for homes or businesses. But it stayed popular for churches until the Civil War. The Greenville church is a very good and detailed example of this style. It uses classical shapes correctly and with lots of decoration.

The school building, now the town library, is also interesting. While it looks like many rural schools from the early 1900s, it is an unusually large example.

A Look at History

The area around Greenville was first called Freehold. Augustine Prevost prepared it for settlement. He received a large land grant from the British in 1767 for his service in the French and Indian War. He built roads and mills.

In the 1790s, new settlers came to New York. These were often younger sons of farmers from New England. They avoided the older communities along the Hudson River. This was because they were wary of the Dutch people, their language, and their customs.

Founding the Church

The New Englanders formed their own church group in 1790. Prevost gave them two acres of land. He said the land could only be used for education and religion. This was the first non-Dutch church in the Catskill Mountains region.

The first meeting house was built in 1793. It was located northwest of the current church. In 1794, the church officially became a group. They called Rev. Beriah Hotchkiss to be their pastor. In 1796, they joined the Northern Association Presbytery.

Four years later, around 1800, a newer, bigger meeting house was built. It was described as having a "lofty spire, a spacious gallery, unpainted box pews, and an octagonal pulpit supported by a lofty column." The first meeting house was sold and moved. It was used for different things before it was finally torn down.

Education and Growth

In 1815, the first Greenville Free Academy Building was constructed. This was the first free public school in Greene County. Nine years later, in 1824, the church officially became the Greenville Presbyterian Church. It joined the Synod of Albany.

The meeting hall was made bigger and updated in 1845. But in early 1859, it burned down. The current church building was built to replace it. A marble commemorative plaque was placed over the door in 1872. In 1885, the original mahogany pulpit and white pews were replaced. The chapel was built in the same year for smaller gatherings like prayer meetings.

Changes Over Time

The beautiful stained-glass windows were added to the church between 1904 and 1913. During this time, in 1906, the new school building was constructed. In 1930, the school became part of the new Greenville Central School District. The Presbyterian Society then renovated it.

The chapel was sold to the local American Legion post in 1938. Since then, it has been used by them and a local Boy Scout troop.

The school building was renovated again in 1957 to become the Greenville library. In 1975, the porch was remodeled to look like the porch on the 1815 school building. There have not been any major changes to the property since then.

Images for kids

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  East elevation and north profile of church and chapel (foreground), 2008

• Greenville Presbyterian Church, Greenville, NY - interior.jpg

  The church interior, showing the pulpit and pews.