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First Presbyterian Church
| Historic Site #: | 15-022 (Exists) Type: A2,E1 | Town: | Wolcott | ||
| Site Name: | First Presbyterian Church | GPS Coordinates: | 43.220648, -76.816203 | ||
| Address: | 11988 West Main Street Wolcott NY | ||||
| Description: | |||||
| The First Presbyterian Church of Wolcott is part of the Wolcott Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. With historic beginnings during the War of 1812, division of congregations, construction of several buildings for worship, and a devastating fire in 1999, the First Presbyterian Church of Wolcott has a history worthy of recognition at all levels. Maintaining a strong congregation, working on assorted outreach projects for the community, and provided assistance to those in need, the First Presbyterian Church is a leading pillar of Wolcott. Grips Souvenir of Wolcott Presbytery of Geneva Information First Presbyterian Church of Wolcott website | |||||
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| Wolcott First Presbyterian Church - source WikiMedia: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:First_Presbyterian_Church_Wolcott_NY_Oct_09.jpg | Drawing of Wolcott First Presbyterian Church |
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| Lake Shore News Article on Dirt Delivery | Lake Shore News Article on Dirt Church |
| Historic narrative: | |||||
First Presbyterian Church – Wolcott At the beginning of the War of 1812, a small group of worshippers began meeting at schoolhouses alternating between Wolcott and Huron, which was then part of the old town of Wolcott. On February 16, 1827, after several years of conflict, the church separated into the 1st and 2nd Presbyterian Churches of Wolcott. On April 3, 1826, the Town of Port Bay was set off from Wolcott, and church in Huron became the Port Bay Presbyterian Church. The Wolcott church (in the village) became the First Presbyterian Church. The first Wolcott church meeting site was the schoolhouse once located at the site of the present First Baptist Church at the corner of Main and New Hartford Streets. A building was erected in 1826 at the corner of West Main and Draper Streets for the congregation. In 1852, a wooden building was constructed at the intersection on Mill and Main Streets (the present Gallo’s building). In 1882, the church erected a new building on West Main and Church Street (now Northup Street). Land for this new church was donated by Wolcott philanthropist, Isaac Leavenworth. Part of the lot purchased was swamp, so for several months, hundreds of loads of dirt were delivered to complete the grading for the foundation, which needed to be solid, as a 1200-pound bell was to be installed in the steeple. (See Lake Shore News articles.) Much of the new building was planned by Gardner H. Northrup, local businessman and lumber dealer. Northup hired a New York City architect. Most of the stained-glass windows have a Japanese motif. In 1912, an M. P. Möller pipe organ was installed, reported to be the only pipe organ along the old Ridge “west to Rochester.” In 1925, the basement was upgraded for use as a fellowship hall with a kitchen and large dining area. On August 19, 1999, during vacation bible school, a fire started in the wall on the south side of the church basement. The fire traveled up the wall, across the ceiling to the back of the sanctuary and up the wall to the organ loft. The heat of the fire melted the lead organ pipes which dripped on the floor below. Luckily six of the firemen were church members and knew how to ventilate with the least damage to the windows. With a lot of elbow grease work from the congregation, the insurance covered all costs including window repair and a new organ. Compiled by Loreen Jorgensen and Rosa Fox Resources– visit: https://wayne.nygenweb.net/wolcott/wolcottgrips2.html Also: https://www.presbyteryofgeneva.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Presbytery-Prayer-Directory-2018-2019.pdf-issues-1-11.pdf Thanks to Loreen Jorgensen, author of “The First Hundred Churches of Wayne County, New York” – available at many local historical societies – including the Museum of Wayne County History in Lyons, and also available at local libraries in Wayne County. | |||||