First Presbyterian Church

"A Presbyterian society was founded in Ithaca in 1804. Members met first in a school where DeWitt Mall is now located, and in 1816 a wooden frame meeting-house was dedicated on the present site. The second building (1853) was a Gothic Revival structure designed by James Renwick, architect of Grace Church and St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. As in the case of the First Baptist Church, Gothic Revival gave way to Romanesque. Noted New York architect J. Cleveland Cady, designer of the old Metropolitan Opera House in Manhattan, used a double-apse plan, typical of 12th and 13th century German Romanesque churches. The striking western apse curving out to Cayuga Street contains vibrantly colored stained-glass windows."

Historic Ithaca, DeWitt Park Historic District and Downtown Ithaca: An Architectural Walking Tour, 2. http://www.historicithaca.org/

"FPC began as the South or Second Presbyterian Church of Ulysses: “South” referred to its location in town; “Second” was used, as a “First” Presbyterian Church of Ulysses had been founded the year before. Its original membership of 14 grew quickly, and in 1816, property was acquired for a new, larger meeting house with an adjacent public square, later named after General Simeon de Witt, the founder of Ithaca. Now the “first” church in town, its name was changed in 1827 to First Presbyterian Church of Ithaca." (http://www.firstpresithaca.org)

"In 1853, a new church was built because the meeting house was dilapidated, expensive to repair, and could not be properly heated. A wooden fence was erected around the church and park to keep out the cows roaming the streets of Ithaca. Over time, enlargement of the new church became necessary, and in 1874 a dining room and kitchen were built in the basement." (http://www.firstpresithaca.org).

"In 1899, the congregation decided to build a new, larger church on the same spot. This is the current Romanesque building at the corner of Court and Cayuga Streets. For the foundation, all the stone of the old building foundation was used. A large interior, with wide arches and coffered ceiling, offered space for the 629 members. Members contributed generously to embellish the sanctuary with elements such as stained glass windows and columns topped by intricately carved capitals.

A century later, in 2004, the sanctuary underwent major changes in conjunction with the installation of a majestic new Russell organ: carpet was replaced with sand-colored tiles, the choir loft was extended into the church sanctuary, and the sedilia was removed to make space for a cabinet for the smaller organ pipes." http://www.firstpresithaca.org

1910 Sanborn: Heat: steam.  Lights: Elec.  25' to Eaves.  Stone Faced.  5-story steeple.