Central Presbyterian Church (Montclair, New Jersey)

Central Presbyterian Church is a historic church located at 46 Park Street in Montclair, New Jersey, United States.[3]

Central Presbyterian Church
Central Presbyterian Church on a vintage postcard
Central Presbyterian Church (Montclair, New Jersey) is located in Essex County, New Jersey
Central Presbyterian Church (Montclair, New Jersey)
Central Presbyterian Church (Montclair, New Jersey) is located in New Jersey
Central Presbyterian Church (Montclair, New Jersey)
Central Presbyterian Church (Montclair, New Jersey) is located in the United States
Central Presbyterian Church (Montclair, New Jersey)
Location46 Park Street, Montclair, New Jersey
Coordinates40°49′4″N 74°13′4″W
Built1921
ArchitectCarrere & Hastings; Shreve, Lamb & Harmon
Architectural styleColonial Revival, Georgian Revival
MPSMontclair MRA
NRHP reference No.86003051[1]
NJRHP No.1110[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPNovember 14, 1986
Designated NJRHPSeptember 28, 1986

The church was built in 1921 and dedicated on Oct. 15, 1922. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 14, 1986, for its significance in architecture. The building was designed by architecture firms Carrere & Hastings and Shreve, Lamb & Harmon.[4]

History

In 1837 a board of trustees and officers, elected at a meeting at the local schoolhouse, started planning for a Presbyterian society for West Bloomfield, the township informally known as Cranetown that later, in 1870, was officially recognized as Montclair.

The schoolhouse already on the property was renovated. The church was made of wood and built over the schoolrooms. The church was in the center of town, on a triangular-shaped block bordered by Bloomfield Avenue, Park Street and Church Street. On August 9, 1838 the church was formally dedicated. Samuel Ware Fischer was the church's first pastor, from 1839 to 1849 and later served as President of Hamilton College.

Central Presbyterian Church, Montclair, NJ
Central Presbyterian Church, 1856

In 1860 a new and larger building behind the original church was dedicated as The First Presbyterian Church of Montclair.[5]

In 1867 the church bought the school next door and expanded to accommodate 700 people. In 1868, the new Township of Montclair's first board meeting was held in the church's lecture room.

In 1886, a split in the congregation concerning church policy led to the formation of the Trinity Presbyterian Church. On December 2, 1913, Trinity and Old First merged and officially became The Central Presbyterian Church of Montclair.

A new church building, at the corner of Park Street and Claremont Avenue, was dedicated on October 15, 1922.

In 1950 Central ordained its first women elders.

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System – (#86003051)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  2. "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Essex County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – Historic Preservation Office. June 22, 2023. p. 8.
  3. Walker, J (1912). Montclair in Colonial War Times. Creative Media Partners, LLC.
  4. Powers, Robert M. (1980). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Central Presbyterian Church". National Park Service.
  5. Jaeger, Philip Edward (1998). Montclair. Arcadia Publishing Incorporated.
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