National Register of Historic Places Ceremony for the First Presbyterian Church of Newtown

This weekend, Elmhurst’s First Presbyterian Church of Newtown, which was founded in 1652, will celebrate its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. To accompany the celebration, the church is participating in the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s Sacred Sites open house weekend, which includes talks on the church history and architecture, walking tours, and an unveiling of a National Register of Historic Places plaque. The schedule for this Saturday includes the talks on history and architecture at 10:30 am and 2:30 pm, followed by a walking tour. The church will be open to the public from 10 am to 4 pm. On Sunday, there will be a church service followed by the National Register of Historic Places plaque unveiling at 12:30 pm. The open house will last until 3:30 pm. Check out all the event details at the Rego-Forest Preservation website.

The 362-year-old church is now in its fifth building, constructed in 1895, and boasts one of New York’s oldest congregations. It has been under three governments — the Dutch, British and American. The Gothic-style sanctuary, pictured above, features Tiffany stained glass and the original furniture. There will be historic photos and documents out on display during the open house.

Photo by Michael Perlman via the Rego-Forest Preservation Council