Building of the Day: 855 Bushwick Avenue
The BOTD is a no-frills look at interesting structures of all types and from all neighborhoods. There will be old, new, important, forgotten, public, private, good and bad. Whatever strikes our fancy. We hope you enjoy. Address: 855 Bushwick Avenue, corner of Himrod Street Name: South Bushwick Reformed Church Neighborhood: Bushwick Year Built: Church, 1853….
The BOTD is a no-frills look at interesting structures of all types and from all neighborhoods. There will be old, new, important, forgotten, public, private, good and bad. Whatever strikes our fancy. We hope you enjoy.
Address: 855 Bushwick Avenue, corner of Himrod Street
Name: South Bushwick Reformed Church
Neighborhood: Bushwick
Year Built: Church, 1853. Chapel and Sunday School, 1881-3
Architectural Style: Georgian base with Greek Revival entrance and steeple
Architects: Mssrs. Morgan, later additions by J. J. Buck
Landmarked: Yes
Coming up upon this church is like being transported to a New England town, with the white Ionic columns and the steeple dominating the streetscape.
The Reformed Church itself, dates back to Dutch Brooklyn settlements from 1654. The land was donated in 1851 by two local parishioners, and the original congregation was made up of 20 local farmers and their families.
The adjacent street is named after Rev. John Hinrod, the first pastor. Today, the church is in dire need of funding to make necessary repairs. Hopefully this unique piece of Brooklyn’s rural history will not be lost.
It was landmarked in 1968, making this church one of Brooklyn’s earliest landmarked buildings.
[Photos by Suzanne Spellen]
This church was built on what used to be the Stockholm family farm. The land was inherited by his two sons, Andrew and Abraham, and supposedly the isle of the church marks the division of the two halves of the property. Each brother then divided his half into building lots which is what most of this neighborhood is today (my house is on Andrew`s side according to my deed) There is a ballroom in the back of the church. One of my favorite things about this church is when there is a full moon in September and October (harvest moon!) it hangs right next to the steeple making it glow.
Oh, what a shame it’d be to lose it.
The combined annual budget of the Landmarks Commission and the Landmarks Conservancy is very small. Churches need to be maintained by churchgoers. Unfortunately there seem to be fewer and fewer of those every year. I don’t know what will happen to all the churches unless younger New Yorkers decide there is value in practicing their parents and grandparents religion. Most young people seem so anti-religion. We are a secular city. Perhaps these buildings are merely obsolete? Unlike Europe, the government will not keep them up as national patrimony so they may just disappear.
Can the Landmarks Conservancy and Landmarks Commission get involved? Are they already?
What a beautiful building! So Grant Wood/American Gothic (without the pitchfork).
I often drive by this church and wondered why a country church was built on Bushwick Ave. which has so many other substantial brick churches. It makes more sense when you think of this as a farming community which existed at the time. It’s a shame that the building is in such poor condition. Unfortunately the maintainance of old churches are often way beyond the resources of dwindling, low income congregations.
That steeple could use a little work.
The design of the church looks like it came from one of Lafever’s “Builder’s Companion” pattern books from circa 1830. Interesting that his congragation was still using the style in 1853. It is a lovely church.
I’ve been wondering about this building. Thanks, Montrose.