HISTORICAL
SKETCH :
First Church Historical Brochure
HISTORICAL
SKETCH :
First Church in Albany, the second oldest in New York State, was established in 1642 by the Patroon to serve his colony of Rensselaerswyck, the first permanent settlement to support the fur trading post at Fort Orange. Domine Johannes Megapolensis preached the first sermon on August 17th in space improvised near his home on the east side of the river. The following year a storehouse close to Fort Orange near the foot of Madison Avenue was remodeled to serve the young congregation.
To escape the spring floods which periodically inundated the Fort Orange region, a "Block House Church" was erected in 1656 at the middle of the intersection of modern Broadway and State Street; the ground floor served the church while the overhanging balconies were loop-holed and equipped with three small cannon to protect the village from possible attack. To grace this new church, the colonists sent to Holland for two mementoes from their native land: a carved pulpit bearing an hour glass to time the service and a traditional Dutch weathercock. In 1715 the wooden structure was replaced with a much larger stone structure at the same site. This "Old Stone Church," still retaining the hour-glass pulpit and the Dutch weathercock, became the central landmark of the City of Albany until after the Revolutionary War.
Following the war, the church embarked on an ambitious project to build
several new houses of worship to serve the rapidly growing city. The first
of these, the "North Church," was erected in 1798 with its distinctive twin
steeples. In still stands today as the oldest structure in the city which
continues to serve its original purpose. The old hour glass pulpit has been
placed back in service while the ancient weathercock is now preserved in
a glass case with an accurate replica still mounted between the twin steeples.
A second new church on Beaver Street was opened in 1811 to serve the middle of the city. In 1881 this church moved to a more desirable location at the comer of Madison Avenue and Swan Street, but was destroyed by fire in February of 1937. Following the fire, it was decided to reunite the two congregations at the North Pearl Street site as the "First Church in Albany," with a large parish house to serve the combined congregations erected with the proceeds from the insurance settlement of the Madison Avenue fire. Acquisition of the block to the south of the church provided ample parking area and permitted the creation of a facility for "Drive-In" worship during the summer. An area just south of the church fronting on North Pearl Street was set aside as all oasis for quiet relaxation in the midst of the turbulent city, dedicated as "Clee Park" to honor one of the church's notable pastors.
In 1974 the church was recognized as a National Historic Site by an act of the United States Congress. To make the church accessible for handicapped, a major renovation of the parish house with incorporation of an elevator and the addition of a new lobby entrance from the parking lot was completed in 1988. More notable than buildings, however, is the "melting pot" tradition that has characterized the congregation throughout its history. In the 17th century, it served not only the Dutch colonists, but also their black slaves and a number of their Native American neighbors. The 18th century witnessed a gradual influx of English, while the opening of the Erie Canal in the 19th century invited great waves of immigrants, first from western and later from eastern Europe. Some decided to settle in Albany rather than proceed westward and chose the twin steepled church for their religious home. The intense urbanization of downtown Albany during the 20th century has reinforced the rich variety of ethnic and racial groups who have been welcomed into the First Church family.
While the present congregation retains few Dutch, it is proud of its
Dutch heritage chronicled in its extensive archival records dating back to
the 17th century, and its many historic relics, including the country's oldest
pulpit and weathervane, notable pieces of early colonial silver, and its
magnificent old sanctuary echoing with centuries of historic proclamations.
