Fair Street Reformed Church

FAIR STREET REFORMED CHURCH is designated as a Sacred Site Historic Landmark with the

NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY.

 The congregation of the Fair Street Reformed Church meets in the oldest public worship building in Kingston.

Established as the Second Reformed Church of Kingston in January 1849, the small group of 27 people originally met for worship in the County Court House on Wall Street.

In 1850 construction of the church began, using local dolomite limestone taken from a quarry on upper Pearl Street. The church was originally graced by a steeple purported to be the highest of its time out of New York City.

On Good Friday, March 17, 1854, the steeple was blown over in a very heavy gale. No one was hurt and only the front steps of the church were damaged by the fall. The congregation believed this was a sign of God's displeasure with their pride over the height of the steeple, and they vowed never to replace it.

Our Sanctuary in 1888. There is no center aisle or Nave.



Our great bell was forged in 1860 by the Meneelys Foundry of W. Troy, NY and presented to the 2nd church of Kingston NY by the Ladies of the congregation. This information is inscribed on the bell. Also, the bell is inscribed with "Holiness The Lord."

It has been rung on over eight thousand days of worship and is still in service today.

This picture is how our church would look today with its steeple still intact.
Although the camera was invented in 1840, there are no known photos of our church with its majestic steeple.