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Reformed Church of Beacon

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The congregation was established in 1813 in what was then a small riverside settlement known as Fishkill Landing. A small white frame church was built on the present site. The cemetery was also dedicated and received its first body at the same time. Among its earlier notable burials was
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When Few died in 1828 at the age of 80 in Fishkill-on-the-Hudson (present Beacon), he was survived by his wife (born Catherine Nicholson) and three daughters. Originally buried in the yard of the local Reformed Dutch Church, his body was later reinterred at St. Paul's Church, Augusta,
549:(1857), which defended the use of brick and Northern Italian Gothic features especially in church building. Since his arrival in New York, Withers had never faltered from his perusal of English periodicals and new architectural literature, some likely shared by his brother, 472:, built ten years later. But when designing for other sects, he was willing to be more flexible. His design for the Reformed Church thus was his rare use for a church of the High Victorian Gothic style which characterized most of his secular buildings, such as 295:
between Ferry (Route 9D) and Beekman streets. It is level and clear on the east, where the church is, but then wooded and sloped to the west, where the cemetery is. There is a parking lot to the north, and the church's former
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After the war, in the 1870s, the village and church had both grown enough that some additions and changes to the building were necessary. Wither's original rear wing was reduced from two stories to one to accommodate a new
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building two-story building with a large addition to its own north, probably built in the mid-19th century. Due to the extensive renovation and other work on it is, unlike the cemetery and church, not considered a
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By the late 1850s the church had grown enough that a new building was necessary, and Withers was commissioned. Local carpenter Samuel Bogardus did the framing with J.F Gerow handling the
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The cemetery is on the section of land from just west of the church wall to near Beekman Street, downhill. Its graves date from 1813 to the early 20th century, representing the range of
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Francis R. Kowsky, The Architecture of Frederick Clarke Withers and the Progress of the Gothic Revival in America after 1850 (Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 1980), 51
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In 1907 one congregant donated the lot north of the church and the house on it for use as a new parsonage. The former parsonage was sold and moved to Beacon Street in 1911.
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roof, all common features of the style. Withers' request for black brick to balance the courses could not be achieved because none had yet been locally produced.
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of the United States, who was living in Fishkill at the time of his death. His body was later reinterred at St. Paul's Church in his native
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in 1988. It is one of three Withers buildings in the city on the Register and a rare example of his church architecture in this style.
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was taken down in 1887 when it became unstable, and the organ, built by George Ryder, was installed in 1895.
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style, one of its earliest uses in the United States. The church and its cemetery were added to the
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common from those eras. It is overgrown and in some disrepair. Notable burials include
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room, is off the main entrance. On the west end is a larger room, used as a
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Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state)
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began. In 1861, the church thus entertained a visiting preacher, noted
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New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
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about 0.5 miles (1 km) south of Beacon's municipal complex and
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National Register of Historic Places in Dutchess County, New York
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John Monell, also in Beacon. It features extensive use of
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The church and cemetery are on a 2.2-acre (8,900 m)
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19th-century Reformed Church in America church buildings
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Reformed Church in America churches in New York (state)
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Gothic Revival church buildings in New York (state)
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History of the National Register of Historic Places
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The west elevation is fully 27: 16:Historic church in New York, United States 882:U.S. National Register of Historic Places 775: 399: 241:Reformed Dutch Church of Fishkill Landing 430: 1531:1813 establishments in New York (state) 637: 1478: 693: 1526:Churches in Dutchess County, New York 854: 276:National Register of Historic Places 197:National Register of Historic Places 13: 1541:Frederick Clarke Withers buildings 696:"Church to Be Sold for Bar, Hotel" 439:To the north of the church is the 334:covers the wooden floor under the 14: 1552: 807: 694:Sparks, Leonard (23 April 2021). 420:who has since been reinterred at 1459: 1449: 1440: 1439: 940: 933: 621: 585:. Shortly after it opened, the 435:Cemetery, now overgown, in 2009 766: 757: 732: 687: 518:neighborhood, and writings by 307:, the church is made from red 1: 614: 455: 1416:National Historic Landmarks 270:and built in 1860 using the 251:in Beacon. It is located on 7: 752:St. Luke's Episcopal Church 721:. Reformed Church of Beacon 527:Seven Lamps of Architecture 488:of its outer walls and the 470:St. Luke's Episcopal Church 327:, a later addition, rises. 281: 157:J.F. Gerow, Samuel Bogardus 10: 1557: 1496:Churches completed in 1859 556: 357:. In the rear, behind the 353:wooden ceiling with large 50:Reformed Church in America 1435: 1404: 1284: 949: 931: 892: 286: 237:Reformed Church of Beacon 228:Reformed Church of Beacon 226: 221: 213: 202: 192: 182: 174: 169: 161: 151: 139: 131: 119: 114: 75: 60: 55: 43: 38: 26: 22:Reformed Church of Beacon 21: 1169:Richmond (Staten Island) 476:, a home for St. Luke's 268:Frederick Clarke Withers 126:Frederick Clarke Withers 837:41.506389°N 73.980278°W 502:The church is an early 365:of the church's manual- 905:Keeper of the Register 436: 400:Cemetery and parsonage 372:, the only one in the 77:Geographic coordinates 1425:Outside New York City 920:National Park Service 900:Contributing property 842:41.506389; -73.980278 700:The Highlands Current 504:High Victorian Gothic 452:to the NRHP listing. 450:contributing resource 434: 272:High Victorian Gothic 146:High Victorian Gothic 99:41.50639°N 73.98028°W 1109:New York (Manhattan) 629:Hudson Valley portal 543:George Gilbert Scott 531:The Stones of Venice 33:East elevation, 2021 1412:Bridges and tunnels 833: /  508:William Butterfield 495:on its broad cross- 422:Saint Paul's Church 266:It was designed by 175:Direction of façade 104:41.50639; -73.98028 95: /  754:are the other two. 594:Henry Ward Beecher 437: 410:Abraham H. Schenck 259:and overlooks the 214:NRHP Reference no. 153:General contractor 1473: 1472: 910:Historic district 551:Robert J. Withers 512:All Saints Church 349:. They rise to a 239:, originally the 233: 232: 1548: 1516:Beacon, New York 1463: 1453: 1452: 1443: 1442: 1074:Kings (Brooklyn) 944: 937: 936: 875: 868: 861: 852: 851: 848: 847: 845: 844: 843: 838: 834: 831: 830: 829: 826: 801: 800: 794: 793: 779: 773: 770: 764: 761: 755: 745: 739: 736: 730: 729: 727: 726: 715: 704: 703: 691: 685: 684: 682: 681: 666: 631: 626: 625: 572:Augusta, Georgia 564:William Few, Jr. 539:Brick and Marble 510:'s contemporary 426:Augusta, Georgia 380:, presently the 245:Beacon, New York 110: 109: 107: 106: 105: 100: 96: 93: 92: 91: 88: 31: 19: 18: 1556: 1555: 1551: 1550: 1549: 1547: 1546: 1545: 1476: 1475: 1474: 1469: 1431: 1400: 1352:Above 110th St. 1286: 1280: 951: 945: 939: 938: 934: 929: 888: 879: 841: 839: 835: 832: 827: 824: 822: 820: 819: 810: 805: 804: 791: 789: 781: 780: 776: 771: 767: 762: 758: 746: 742: 737: 733: 724: 722: 717: 716: 707: 692: 688: 679: 677: 667: 638: 627: 620: 617: 568:Founding Father 559: 458: 402: 289: 284: 103: 101: 97: 94: 89: 86: 84: 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Retrieved 777: 768: 759: 743: 734: 723:. Retrieved 699: 689: 678:. Retrieved 610: 598: 591:abolitionist 576: 560: 546: 538: 535:G. E. Street 530: 526: 523: 514:in London's 501: 462:Episcopalian 459: 438: 414:James Mackin 406:funerary art 403: 390:lecture hall 329: 313:English bond 302: 290: 265: 261:Hudson River 240: 236: 234: 121:Architect(s) 115:Architecture 1405:Other lists 1254:Westchester 1184:Schenectady 979:Cattaraugus 840: / 583:bricklaying 541:(1855) and 520:John Ruskin 418:William Few 347:wainscoting 321:fenestrated 102: / 45:Affiliation 1480:Categories 1244:Washington 1164:Rensselaer 1099:Montgomery 1084:Livingston 989:Chautauqua 828:73°58′49″W 825:41°30′23″N 792:2008-12-17 763:Kowsky, 51 725:2008-12-21 680:2008-12-16 615:References 482:polychromy 456:Aesthetics 443:. It is a 394:bell tower 376:. A small 370:pipe organ 361:, are the 90:73°58′49″W 87:41°30′23″N 1386:Rochester 1381:Rhinebeck 1371:Peekskill 1332:Manhattan 1189:Schoharie 1069:Jefferson 952:by county 719:"History" 587:Civil War 516:Fitzrovia 478:vestryman 460:A devout 441:parsonage 336:sanctuary 298:parsonage 203:Added to 184:Materials 162:Completed 1445:Category 1391:Syracuse 1317:Brooklyn 1264:Southern 1259:Northern 1229:Tompkins 1219:Sullivan 1194:Schuyler 1179:Saratoga 1174:Rockland 1124:Onondaga 1064:Herkimer 1059:Hamilton 1039:Franklin 1024:Dutchess 1019:Delaware 1014:Cortland 1009:Columbia 999:Chenango 964:Allegany 886:New York 748:Eustatia 522:such as 474:Eustatia 317:buttress 311:laid in 282:Property 217:88001438 61:Location 56:Location 39:Religion 1396:Yonkers 1299:Buffalo 1287:by city 1271:Wyoming 1214:Suffolk 1209:Steuben 1139:Orleans 1129:Ontario 1114:Niagara 1089:Madison 1049:Genesee 1004:Clinton 994:Chemung 602:steeple 579:masonry 557:History 547:Remarks 486:courses 484:on the 378:gallery 367:tracker 355:trusses 351:vaulted 222:Website 1322:Queens 1294:Albany 1239:Warren 1234:Ulster 1199:Seneca 1159:Queens 1154:Putnam 1149:Otsego 1144:Oswego 1134:Orange 1119:Oneida 1104:Nassau 1094:Monroe 1054:Greene 1044:Fulton 984:Cayuga 974:Broome 959:Albany 893:Topics 606:belfry 497:gabled 493:tiling 338:'s 98 332:carpet 287:Church 249:church 135:Church 65:Beacon 1312:Bronx 1285:Lists 1276:Yates 1249:Wayne 1224:Tioga 1079:Lewis 1034:Essex 969:Bronx 950:Lists 490:slate 445:frame 382:choir 363:pipes 359:altar 325:spire 309:brick 253:NY 9D 188:Brick 141:Style 1455:List 1029:Erie 750:and 581:and 566:, a 529:and 416:and 388:and 343:pews 305:bays 235:The 209:1988 205:NRHP 194:U.S. 178:East 165:1860 132:Type 884:in 798:GA. 545:'s 537:'s 524:The 340:oak 293:lot 1482:: 795:. 785:. 708:^ 698:. 673:. 639:^ 574:. 553:. 428:. 424:, 412:, 396:. 300:. 69:NY 67:, 874:e 867:t 860:v 728:. 702:. 683:.

Index


Affiliation
Reformed Church in America
Beacon
NY
Geographic coordinates
41°30′23″N 73°58′49″W / 41.50639°N 73.98028°W / 41.50639; -73.98028
Architect(s)
Frederick Clarke Withers
Style
High Victorian Gothic
General contractor
Materials
U.S.
National Register of Historic Places
NRHP
Reformed Church of Beacon
Beacon, New York
church
NY 9D
downtown area
Hudson River
Frederick Clarke Withers
High Victorian Gothic
National Register of Historic Places
lot
parsonage
bays
brick
English bond

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