Breaking: Washingtonville's First Presbyterian Church Hearing on May 18 for Landmark Status!

This beautiful historic Presbyterian Church is just a few hundred feet from the center of the Village of Washingtonville on Goshen Ave (Route 208). Its structure was first built in 1847 and it is widely considered as the second oldest church in the area. This church is also known for having held early services in the 1840's (before the structure was built) and establishing the Washingtonville Cemetery in 1854, which is the resting place for numerous well-known local figures and war soldiers, including Major Nathaniel Strong, who was killed during the Revolutionarey War.

Being so near, and almost visible from E.J. McLaughlin Commons at the intersections of Routes 94 and 208, this church is felt as part of the Village's Center which holds tremendous historic significance, first as a main colonial farming and commerce intersection between New York City and "Upstate", and later as the Town of Blooming Grove, Village of Washingtonville, Salisbury Mills and Cornwall became the gateway to New York's upstate "country" vacation areas. It's hard to even imagine how many children over the past Century or more recognized they were either coming to or leaving "the Country" when they noticed the Police Officer stationed by his very small white building (now painted a heritage yellow) in the center of the Commons. Located so close to such an historic intersection, it is not surprising that this church has shown its ability to last and remain so strong.

The Police Officer's lookout at Village Center has been a longtime favorite of Tourists passing through...and is just a few hundred feet from the church.

The First Presbyterian Church has had some struggles during the past decade with needs for repair, but with the strength of its colonial forbears its congregation members have donated hundreds hours of their own work as well as funding events to complete restorations that retain its clarity as a colonial image, and allow it to continue to function well mechanically.

Washingtonville is widely known as a tightly knit community that will spare no effort when it comes to neighbors helping neighbors, and as a reporter and editor for almost 20 years I cannot count the times I was chatting with a group of "locals" talking about what they would be doing in the coming weeks and heard one or two of them say "I'll be working 'at the church'". Well, their work has become well known, and as the Village of Washingtonville starts to fulfill the commitments that they made last year in their Comprehensive Plan for the next 10 years, a key element is to create a local Historic District, and at this past month's Village Board Meeting Mayor Tom DeVinko announced that they are including an application to officially designate this First Presbyterian Church as a Local Landmark. This designation can ensure the continued longterm success of this church, both as an entity unto itself and as a beloved part of the Village.

As a Landmark that is a Local designation, this church CANNOT be demolished without a vote by the New York State Assembly. It CAN, however continue with any needed renovations. This differs from being a State or National Landmark only in that needed repairs can be made without having to jump through dozens of hoops over long periods of time.

Mayor DeVinko announced today that the Public Hearing on May 18 that will serve to develop oversight of any Landmark conditions will be determined by input from both church's leaders and congregants, along with advice from all other community leaders.

This week, the Village of Washingtonville also began sharing development of its Historic District Projects and related documents that are under the oversight of

Village Historian, Jeanne Versweyveld. Copies of the work that has been completed in this regard are available at the Washingtonville Village Hall at 9 Fairlawn Drive.

A few of First Presbyterian Church's hardworking congregants who were just getting ready to head come after a long day of church work. The 2 ladies to the right have been devoted members for over 30 years

These church congregants were just a few of dozens who were at the church site this week, getting ready for Saturday's Village Funfest...one of its biggest events of the year, a Village-Wide Yard Sale which has grown so popular that people come to browse from a number of counties in the area.

Let's give the First Presbyterian Church a good will send-off toward their future projects by attending theirs (and others) of this year's Village of Washingtonville Yard Sales Extravaganza tomorrow (May 2, 2026).

(The Washingtonville Annual Spring Community Yard Sale for 2026 is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. This village-wide event features over 30 participating homes, businesses, and local artisans, with maps available at the Guilty Pleasures Cafe parking lot.)

Stay tuned, and please attend the Public Hearing, as there will be a lot more news coming about this Historic Project as Washingtonville's First Presbyterian Church takes its steps forward to become an Official Local Landmark.