Although Baptists have had a presence in Peekskill, since the early eighteenth century, the Peekskill First Baptist Church officially dates to 1843 when the congregation formally organized. Since then, the congregation has constructed a church building, rebuilt that original, and then sold that building and relocated to a new location. Originally constructed in 1847 at 831 Main Street, the Peekskill First Baptist Church and was rebuilt in the same location in 1871. This Romanesque-style edifice served congregants for over eight decades before being sold to the Refuge Church of Christ in 1956. That same year the Peekskill First Baptist Church purchased property at 690 Highland Avenue in Peekskill to build a new place of worship. The Refuge Church of Christ continues holding services in the original home of the Peekskill First Baptist Church. The Peekskill Downtown Historic District, including the historic First Baptist Church of Peekskill, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

Documentation shows that the Baptists have had a presence in Peekskill since the eighteenth century. It is recorded that there was a church building, but it is not known where it was located, In 1830 this early group of Baptists in Peekskill “disappeared.” Their recorded history picks back up in the early 1840s. 

In late 1843, a group of Baptists met in Peekskill’s Dutch Reformed Church to officially organize and construct a place of worship. Over the next two years they met in various locations, including at the corner of South and Division Streets, before purchasing a parcel of land on Main Street from James Brewer for $600. In 1845 construction of a church building at 831 Main Street began. The basement was completed in 1846, and the remainder finished in 1847.

Almost a quarter century later in 1871, the First Baptist Church voted to rebuild their church building at 831 Main Street. The main structure was raised two feet and moved back nine feet on the lot so that the church would be in line with the buildings on either side. The rebuilt church, which cost approximately $12,000, was dedicated in December of 1871. Additional improvements were made in the following years to the church to the edifice and the installation of a large pipe organ. 

The congregation of the Peekskill First Baptist Church continued to worship in the building for many more decades. In 1953, the decision was made to construct a new church at another Peekskill location. Planning got underway in 1956, and that same year the congregation purchased the residence of Peekskill Mayor Raymond Moniz and the adjacent lots as the site for their new church. The original church building at 831 Main Street was immediately sold to the Refuge Church of Christ, under an agreement that Baptist services would continue to be held at the Main Street church until the new church was completed. Three years later, in 1959, the Baptist congregation moved into their new church at 690 Highland Avenue. As of 2022, the Refuge Church of Christ continues holding services at the 831 Main Street location.

The building at 831 Main Street in Peekskill is a wood frame construction. It possesses a front gable roof, and a three-part facade with a central entrance containing a vestibule. It exhibits large tripartite arched windows. Two towers originally appeared on the eastern and western sides of the building. The eastern tower has since been removed and the western is now topped with a short steeple. The exterior otherwise remains largely intact. The original Peekskill First Baptist Church building is included in the Peekskill Downtown Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

1. City of Peekskill. “Peekskill: A Journey Into History 1839-1965; Commemorating 126 Years of History.” Peekskill, NY: Monument Printers & Lithographers, Inc. 1965. Horton, William T. Pioneers, Patriots, and Peoples Past and Present: A History of Peekskill, New York. 1953.
2. “Peekskill Downtown Historic District #04000095.” National Register of Historic Places. United States Department of the Interior/National Park Service. 2005. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75323155  
3. Peekskill First Baptist Church Website. Accessed July 29th, 2022. https://www.fbcpeekskill.org/#!home.
4. Scofield, Carlton B. History Of The First Baptist Church. Peekskill, NY: The Enterprise Press. 1970.