South Presbyterian Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids South Presbyterian Church |
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South (front) elevation, 2008
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Presbyterian |
| Location | |
| Location | Dobbs Ferry, NY |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Julius Munckwitz |
| Architectural type | church |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1868 |
| Completed | 1869 |
| Direction of façade | Southeast |
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Added to NRHP | 2000 |
| NRHP Reference no. | 00000548 |
| Website | |
| South Presbyterian Church | |
The South Presbyterian Church, often called South Church, is a historic building in Dobbs Ferry, New York. It stands along Broadway, which is also US 9. The church started in 1820. Its current building was finished in 1869. It is made of stone in the Gothic Revival style, which looks like old European churches.
Many church members helped build both the first and second church buildings. The church is very active in helping the local community. The main church building is the only known work by architect Julius Munckwitz that still exists. Two other buildings, a manse (a house for the minister) and a house built by an early member, were also constructed around the same time. These buildings have a Second Empire style, which includes special mansard roofs. They have changed little over time, even though one is now a day care center. All three buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. They are a great example of a well-preserved Gothic Revival church in a town.
Contents
Church Buildings and Design
The church property has three main buildings. These are the church itself, the minister's house (manse), and a house built by Robert Wilde. Wilde was an early church member and owned the land. All three buildings are important parts of the historic listing. The church and Wilde's house are connected by a newer section.
The Church Building
The church building is shaped like a rectangle. It has a main hall called a nave with a gabled roof. There is also a smaller entrance area called a narthex. A bell tower is attached to the front. The middle part of the church is made of granite stone with limestone details. It has three sections wide and five sections deep.
The outside of South Presbyterian Church has tall, narrow windows called lancet windows. These windows have decorative wood patterns and limestone frames. The main entrance has wooden doors with Gothic carvings. Above the doors is a carved stone panel called a tympanum. The bell tower also has a lancet window. Its octagonal (eight-sided) spire has four smaller windows near the top.
Inside, the church's main worship area, called the sanctuary, has a ceiling with decorative plaster ribs. The original wooden pews (church benches) and wood paneling on the walls are still there. Pew number 49 has a special brass plaque. It says that Theodore Roosevelt used this pew when he visited Dobbs Ferry in the summer of 1871.
The Wilde House
The Wilde House was built in 1870. It is a two-story stone building made of granite. It has brick around the windows. The roof is a curved mansard roof. The windows on the second floor are often in pairs. They are separated by small wooden columns with fancy tops. The front of the house has two rounded sections next to the entrance. A stone line separates the first and second floors. The front porch is made of wood with angled posts and carved railings.
The inside of the Wilde House has been changed to be a day care center. However, some original wooden features remain. This includes the banister on the stairway. The fireplace also still has its original tiles around its opening.
The Manse (Minister's House)
The manse was designed and built in 1869 by architect George Edward Harney. It is also a granite building. It has a hipped roof with decorative brackets and slate tiles. The house is two stories tall and has three sections on each side. The roof has dormers (windows sticking out of the roof) with decorative wooden trim. The wooden porch in the back also has Gothic Revival details. There is a small one-story addition on the north side with a flat roof.
Some of the windows on the manse also show Gothic Revival style. A front bay window has decorative wood carvings around it. In the back, there is a lancet window in the middle of the second story.
Church History
The South Presbyterian Church started as a group of worshippers in 1820. At that time, Dobbs Ferry was a very small village. There were no churches there. On Sundays, religious locals met in the largest building in town. This was a barn on Peter Van Brugh Livingston's property. Traveling Presbyterian or Methodist ministers led the services. Three years later, in 1823, the group officially became South Presbyterian Church. They chose this name to be different from a North Presbyterian Church nearby.
In August 1823, six church members bought a piece of land. It was a triangle of land at the corner of Storm Street and Ashford Road. They built a small church there made of local wood. It was painted white, like many churches in New England. People called it the Little White Church for many years. That church is gone now, and a Lutheran church stands there. But the original cemetery, called the Little White Cemetery, is still there.
In 1825, the church was officially recognized by the Presbytery of New York. Six years later, the Presbytery criticized the church. This happened when Peter Van Brugh Livingston, who had helped the church a lot, tried to make new members sign a pledge. This pledge would make them promise not to drink distilled beverages. He resigned as an elder after this disagreement.
The church grew a lot over the next few decades. By the 1860s, it had 140 members. Everyone agreed it was time for a new church building. James Wilde, a wealthy member, found and bought the current property for the church in 1864. This new location was closer to the center of the growing village. Julius Munckowitz designed the new church. The first stone was laid in 1868.
Just like the first church, members or their businesses built the new church. They used local materials. The granite stone was supposedly taken from a quarry near the old church. Local companies also did the wood work and stone work. Many members gave their time, money, or both. When the new church opened in late 1869, it had all the modern features of the time, including gas lighting. The manse was also started that year.
Wilde had built the stone house as a retirement home for himself. But he never used it for that. Instead, he gave it to the Misses Masters, who started the nearby Masters School. In 1916, the school gave the house to the church. The church then started using it as a community hall.
The church has added stained glass windows twice. In 1914, J. Gordon Guthrie, a church member, created the stained glass in the sanctuary. He also made the round rose window in the back. He used three women from the church as models for the women in his designs. Fifty years later, in 1964, J.M. Baransky made new stained glass for the middle section. These windows had colorful, non-picture designs.
The original pipe organ was replaced in 1928. The new organ was placed on a new balcony. This organ used to be in a church in Manhattan. The church's bell was made in 1876 by a company in Troy. The section connecting the church and the Wilde House was built in 1954. Builders tried to make it look similar to the older buildings.
Today's Activities
South Presbyterian Church continues its tradition of helping others. During the Reconstruction period after the Civil War, it raised money to help formerly enslaved people in the South. Today, the church helps people who are homeless and poor in New York City and Yonkers. It supports gay rights and raises money for AIDS-related causes. The church also holds an annual breakfast to honor Martin Luther King Jr..
Some of the church's space is rented out to programs that help the community. One room in the church is used by an art school for children. The first floor of the Wilde House is home to the Days of Wonder day care center. The connection between the Wilde House and the Masters School continues today. Students from the Masters School volunteer at Days of Wonder as part of their after-school activities.
See also
