Hyde Park Reformed Dutch Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hyde Park Reformed Dutch Church |
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West elevation and south profile, 2008
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Reformed Church in America |
| Leadership | Thom Fiet |
| Year consecrated | 1826 |
| Location | |
| Location | Hyde Park, New York |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Completed | 1826 |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | West |
| Materials | Wood |
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Added to NRHP | September 2, 1993 |
| NRHP Reference no. | 93000861 |
| Website | |
| Hyde Park Dutch Reformed Church | |
The Hyde Park Dutch Reformed Church is a historic church located in Hyde Park, New York. It stands on US 9, right in the middle of town. This church is part of a group of buildings on a two-acre plot of land.
The church's story began in 1789 with a "union church" for different faiths. Just three years later, in 1792, the Dutch Reformed Church officially formed its own group. The main church building you see today was finished in 1826. It was built in the Federal style, a popular design at that time. In 1993, the church, its cemetery, the minister's house (parsonage), and a lecture hall were all added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites.
Contents
Exploring the Church Property
The church property has five buildings and a cemetery. It's a flat, grassy area with some tall trees. The cemetery and three of the buildings are considered "contributing resources." This means they are key parts of why the site is historically important.
The Main Church Building
The main church is a two-story wooden building. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides, called a gabled roof. On top of the front (western) side, there's a four-story steeple. The building is covered with overlapping wooden boards called clapboard.
The front of the church has three sections. The middle section sticks out a bit and forms the base of the steeple. All three sections have double wooden doors. These doors are surrounded by decorative flat columns called pilasters. Above each door on the second floor is a window with a rounded, fan-shaped top. There's also a round window in the attic.
The sides of the church have beautiful stained glass windows with rounded tops. There are four on the north side and three on the south. A small entrance is also on the south side.
Inside, the wooden benches (pews) are arranged with an aisle down the middle. This leads to a raised platform called the pulpit, where the minister speaks. A large pipe organ is next to the pulpit. A wooden staircase goes up to a balcony, which is held up by round wooden columns. The ceiling has a decorative metal design. Many of these inside features are still the original ones!
Other Buildings and the Cemetery
To the north of the church is the parsonage, which is the minister's house. It was built a few years after the church. It looks similar to the church in style and materials. It also has a two-story section with a porch. The inside of the parsonage still has its original features.
South of the church is the lecture hall. This is a one-story wooden building with a gabled roof. It has flat columns at its corners, like the church. The main entrance has a small entryway with a pointed roof.
West and south of the church is the cemetery. It's a very old cemetery with over a hundred gravestones. These stones are made of different materials like sandstone, granite, and marble. They date back to 1790, more than 200 years ago! The designs on the older stones are simple, sometimes showing skulls. Later stones have more detailed designs, like urns and willow trees.
There are two other buildings on the property: a fellowship hall and a small shed. The fellowship hall connects the church and the parsonage. These buildings are newer and were built to match the older ones, but they are not considered part of the original historic listing.
History of the Church
Before the American Revolution, the area was known as Stoutenburgh's Landing. After the war, the people living there decided they needed a church. They built a "union church" in 1789. This church was for everyone, no matter their religion. The idea was that the first group to form a large enough congregation could take over the union church.
In 1792, the Dutch Reformed Church in Hyde Park officially became its own congregation. So, they took over the union church building. A man named Luke Stoutenburgh donated more land to the south of the church.
The church's name changed a few times. In 1803, the village decided to call itself Stoutsburg, so the church became the Reformed Church of Stoutsburg. Then, in 1817, the village changed its name to Hyde Park, and the church followed. By 1825, the original union church building was too small for the growing congregation. So, it was taken down, and the current, larger church building was finished in 1826. This new church was less decorated than other buildings of its style because it was used for religious purposes.
In 1833, the church bought land to the north and built the parsonage (minister's house). Two years later, in 1835, the church building itself was made longer by about 17 feet to the east. A beautiful mahogany altar, given by another church in New York City, was added then. The outside of the church hasn't changed much since that time.
Church records suggest the lecture hall was added before 1858. It was built in the Greek Revival style, which was popular after the Federal style. In 1885, a large pipe organ was added to the church. To fit the new organ, one of the south windows had to be covered.
Around 1960, the fellowship hall was built, connecting the church and the parsonage. In the early 2000s, a church member helped restore the old organ. Parts were sent away for tuning, and the pipes were repainted.
