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Old Whalers Church (First Presbyterian)

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

One of the most recognizable structures in Sag Harbor, the Old Whalers Church was built in 1844. The current church is the third to bear the name, the earliest of which was built in 1766. Officially named First Presbyterian, the church is more commonly known as the Old Whalers Church because it originally had a tall steeple, which was the first sight of home for sailors returning to Sag Harbor during its days as a whaling center. In 1938, a hurricane brought the entire steeple to the ground. The church, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, remains steeple-less today.

Images

The Old Whalers Church

Plant, Sky, Cemetery, Tree

The interior of the church and its organ

Property, Window, Rectangle, Lighting

The church before the steeple was toppled

Cloud, Sky, Building, Tower

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The First Presbyterian Church of Sag Harbor is the third church to occupy its site. The first was built in 1766 and was a simple meeting house. It was replaced with a new structure in 1816 and that one was eventually replaced by the current building in 1844. One of the town's most recognizable landmarks, the church was built in the Egyptian Revival style and is considered by some to be one of the finest examples of the style in the United States.

When the current church was built, Sag Harbor was a prosperous whaling town with more than 50 whaling ships based there. There was enough wealth in the town to support building the elegant church, which was designed by New York architect Minard LaFever. The church was originally built with an elaborate, 185-foot tall steeple, which returning whalers could see as they approached the coast after being out at sea. It is from the steeple's place as a landmark for returning whalers that the church gets its name.

In 1938, a hurricane lifted the steeple cleanly and dropped it to the ground. Efforts to rebuild the steeple began almost immediately, but various attempts at raising the necessary money failed. Church members and Sag Harbor revived the issue in the 1950s, but the price tag then was at $100,000. In the 1970s, when the estimated costs of restoration was $250,000, a foundation grant fell through. The issue has been revived from time to time over the years, but as of this writing, the steeple has never been replaced, with the steeple's absence giving the church an arguably more "Egyptian" appearance.

The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. It is the only such landmark in Sag Harbor.

Sources

Cummings, Mary . It Will Take a Village to Raise This Spire , New York Times . August 27th 2000. Accessed April 10th 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/27/nyregion/it-will-take-a-village-to-raise-this-spire.html.

History , Old Whaler's Church . Accessed April 10th 2021. http://oldwhalerschurch.org/AboutUs/History.aspx.

Old Whalers Church , NP Gallery. Accessed April 10th 2021. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/6c0f32eb-1ee9-439b-ac47-633c63e011ba.

Additional Information