Union Church of Pocantico Hills

Union Church of Pocantico Hills is a historic church in Pocantico Hills, New York. The church was built by John D. Rockefeller Jr. in 1921, as part of his plans to develop the town of Pocantico Hills, which was below his estate Kykuit.[2] Upon the death of Rockefeller's wife Abby Aldrich Rockefeller in 1948, their son Nelson Rockefeller commissioned Henri Matisse to design the church's rose window in honor of her memory shortly before the artist's own death in 1954.[2] When John D. Rockefeller Jr. died in 1960, his children commissioned artist Marc Chagall to design a Good Samaritan window in his honor.[2] It is a one-story neo-Gothic style building with fieldstone foundation and walls and a slate covered, highly pitched gable roof. In 1930–1931, a parish hall was added to the east end of the church.[3]

Union Church of Pocantico Hills
Interactive map highlighting the church's location
Location555-559 Bedford Rd., Pocantico Hills, New York
Coordinates41°5′44″N 73°49′58″W
Area1.2 acres (0.49 ha)
Built1921
ArchitectEisinger, Ludwig W.
Architectural styleLate Gothic Revival
NRHP reference No.02000447[1]
Added to NRHPMay 06, 2002

On May 6, 2006, the church was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.[4]

Organ

David Rockefeller, members of the Rockefeller family, and members of the church commissioned organbuilder Sebastian M. Glück to design and build the Laurance Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Pipe Organ in 2006. It is based upon the organs of fin-de-siècle Paris, notably influenced by the work of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, and it complements the family's taste in the art of that era. It is used for public recitals as well as for church services.

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. Susan Hodara (2004-10-01). "From Rip van Winkle to Rockefellers in Sleepy Hollow Country". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
  3. Peter D. Shaver (November 2001). "National Register of Historic Places Registration:Union Church of Pocantico Hills". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Retrieved 2010-12-24. See also: "Accompanying seven photos".
  4. "National Register of Historic Places Listings". United States National Park Service. 2002-05-31. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
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