May 17 & May 18 - National Register of Historic Places Ceremony at First Presbyterian Church of Newtown - One of NYC's Earliest Congregations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT:   Marjorie Melikian, Historian

First Presbyterian Church of Newtown

54-05 Seabury Street,  Elmhurst, NY 11373

(718-897-5668 or 646-338-4772;  or email  mmelikian@aol.com.

Or call Interim Pastor Louis Knowles Wed.- Friday  917-745-7888

 

Elmhurst’s First Presbyterian Church of Newtown (founded 1652) to take part in State-Wide Open House & Celebrate Its Listing on the National Register of Historic Places

Saturday May 17 & Sunday May 18, 2014 

 The 362 year old church, now in its fifth building (1895), and one of the NYC’s oldest congregations, will Participate in New York Landmarks Conservancy’s Sacred Sites Program's two day Open HouseWeekend. There will be talks on history & architecture, walking tours, and an unveiling of a National Register of Historic Places plaque. (Building listed Sept. 2013) . 

Founded 1652 in a wilderness that is now Elmhurst, Queens, its pastor and 54 others bought all western Queens from the Native Americans. NY State Archives has a recording of that sale. Although the Elmhurst area has had had 4 different names, it was known as Newtown for most of its history. It has been under 3 governments- Dutch, British & American. Under the British the church suffered for issues of Religious Freedom, with the British Governor driving out our pastor & replacing him with one of his own religion. He arrested visiting Presbyterian pastors. It has suffered for Political Freedom as well, with members working for the cause of Revolution- in what was a Tory town. When the British occupied Newtown for most of the war, they desecrated & tore down the Presbyterian Church of Newtown, after using it first as a prison. Today the church is a multicultural one, reflecting the diversity of Queens. 

The church’s current bell is from 1787, made just after the Revolution and placed in a new 1791 church. That building survived until 1928. The present gothic style Sanctuary was built in 1895, a gift of one man, and features stained glass by Benjamin Sellers & William Ashley, both Tiffany artisans brought from England. They worked 10 years for Tiffany. Furniture is original. The exterior is made of NJ rough brownstone, in 2 colors & has a slate tile roof. It’s huge steeple was lost in1924 when the entire building had to be moved for the widening of Queens Blvd. Before modern methods, the bldg. was raised by pegs onto greased logs. Turned by hand winches it took a year to move. Be sure to see the photos.

The 1894 rotting Gothic wooden doors were beautifully restored in 2013, partly through a Sacred Sites grant. The church is also a Presbyterian National Historical Site. The National Register of Historic Places listing will be celebrated Sunday, May 18 at 12:30 pm with an unveiling of the plaque. All are welcome to join the celebration!!

 

SCHEDULE of EVENTS FOR SATURDAY, MAY 17

OPEN HOUSE:    10:00 am – 4:00 pm. DISPLAY ongoing

Talks on history & architecture 10:30 & 2:30, followed by tour                                   

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR SUNDAY, MAY 18

CHURCH SERVICE Sunday 10:45 am to noon

****NATIONAL REGISTER PLAQUE UNVEILING  Sunday at 12:30 pm

OPEN HOUSE immediately following until 3:30 pm

Talk on history & architecture approx. 1:30

ONGOING DISPLAY OF HISTORICAL PHOTOS & DOCUMENTS

  First Presbyterian Church of Newtown

  Corner of Queens Blvd. & 54^th Avenue 

        (Mailing address: 54-05 Seabury Street)

  Elmhurst, Queens NY 11373

R or M subway to Grand Ave/Newtown, SE exit.  Or Q 58,59,60 bus to Grand Avenue, Elmhurst