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 NY 32, just north of where it meets NY 81. The church and its two other buildings sit on two acres of land. In 1985, these 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 way back in 1790. It was the first non-Dutch church in the Catskill area. The main church building you see today was built in 1860. It is a great example of the Greek Revival style, which was popular at the time. Later, a chapel was added in 1885, and a school building in 1906. The old school building is now part of the local library.
Contents
Exploring the Church Complex
The Greenville Presbyterian Church complex includes three important buildings. All of them are on the west side of Route 32. This area is in the center of Greenville. Nearby, to the west, are properties owned by the Town of Greenville and Greenville High School.
The Main Church Building
The church building is one and a half stories tall. It sits on a strong stone foundation. Most of its sides are covered with wooden boards called clapboard. The front, which faces east, has smooth, flat boards. This front part features square pillars and a triangular roof section called a pediment. On top of the pediment is a three-story tower. This tower has a belfry (where bells are kept) and a gold-colored, eight-sided spire with a weathervane. Each section of the tower has corner pillars and overhanging roof edges. A small stained glass window is visible on the front of the tower's base.
Behind the main pillars is the church's entrance. It has pillars on either side and a decorative band above it. Another stained glass window is located above the double doors. On each side of the double doors, there are small windows with fluted (grooved) columns in front of them. The roof has a pointed gable shape. Both the north and south sides of the church have four large stained glass windows. These windows are about 16 feet tall and 4 feet wide. There is also a smaller window on the north side. A brick chimney rises from the south side of the roof.
Inside, there is a small entry area called a vestibule. Small rooms are on either side of this area. In the main part of the church, called the nave, the oak pews (benches) curve towards the front. At the front, the dark oak pulpit (where the speaker stands) is raised. It has decorative railings on both sides. Behind the pulpit is a large, decorative frame with pillars, similar to the entrance. The pipe organ is located in a special space behind this frame. At the back of the church, there is a balcony and stairs leading to the bell tower. The inside of the church is lit by a large chandelier over the pulpit and smaller lights over the seating area. The ceiling is smooth plaster with angled corners. The side walls have wooden paneling and decorative trim. All the large windows have wide, molded frames.
The Chapel Building
The chapel building was built about 25 years after the main church. It is similar to the church but smaller. It is a one-story building with wooden clapboard 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 influences. This includes an overhanging roof edge with decorative trim. The chapel's double-door entrance has its own projecting roof edge. This edge is decorated with fancy, cut-out wooden brackets and hanging ornaments.
The back of the chapel has a small wing with a slanted roof. This wing has windows and a door with a small, projecting gable. The inside of the chapel has been changed over time. However, it still has its original wooden paneling and window frames.
The Old School Building
The school building is the newest of the three. 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 edges have exposed wooden beams. The entrance is a rebuilt version of the one from the earlier school building. It has a porch with Doric columns (a simple, classic style) that support a railing. The double-door entrance has a wide window above it. The inside has been updated a lot. But the first-floor hallway still has its original tin ceiling with raised patterns.
Architectural Style and Importance
The Greek Revival style became popular in the 1820s. People liked it because it reminded them of the old Greek ideals of freedom and democracy. By the 1850s, this style was not used much for new homes or businesses. However, it remained popular for churches until the American Civil War. The Greenville church is a very good example of this style, even though it was built later. It uses classic shapes correctly and has many beautiful decorations.
The old school building is also important for its design. It is now used as the town library and offices. While it looks like many rural school buildings from the early 1900s, it is unusually large for its type.
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 Crown in 1767. This was a reward for his service during the French and Indian War. He built roads and mills. He continued to own the land even through the American Revolution. In the 1790s, his efforts paid off. Many new settlers came to New York. These were often younger sons of farmers from New England and their families.
There were already communities along the Hudson River. But the New Englanders avoided them. They were cautious of the Dutch people who lived there and their different language, religion, and customs. So, the New Englanders formed their own church group in 1790. Prevost gave them two acres of land. He made sure the land could only be used for education and religious purposes. This was the first non-Dutch church in the Catskill region.
The first meeting house was built in 1793. It was located just northwest of where the current church stands. In 1794, the church group officially became a corporation. They invited Rev. Beriah Hotchkiss to be their pastor (religious leader). In 1796, the church joined the Northern Association Presbytery (a group of Presbyterian churches). Four years later, around 1800, a newer, larger meeting house was built. It was described as having "a tall spire, a large balcony, plain wooden pews, and an eight-sided pulpit." The original meeting house was sold and moved nearby. It was used for different things before it was eventually taken down.
In 1815, the educational part of the land gift was used. The first Greenville Free Academy Building was constructed. This was the first free public school in Greene County. Nine years later, the church officially became known as the Greenville Presbyterian Church. This happened when it joined the Synod (a larger church body) of Albany.
The meeting hall was made bigger and updated in 1845. But at the start of 1859, that building was lost when it burned down. The current church building replaced it. A marble plaque was placed over the door in 1872 to remember this. About 25 years later, in 1885, the church's original mahogany pulpit and white pews were replaced. The chapel was built in the same year. It was used for smaller gatherings like prayer meetings and meetings for the church's leaders.
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 updated it a lot. The chapel was sold to the local American Legion group in 1938. Since then, it has been used by them and a local Boy Scout troop.
The school building was updated again in 1957 to become the Greenville public library. In 1975, the porch was changed to look like the porch on the 1815 school building. There have not been any major changes to the property since then.
