{"nrhp_refnum":"04001444","name":"First Presbyterian Church of Avon","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"5605 Avon-Lima Rd.","address_restricted":false,"city":"East Avon","county":"Livingston County","state":"NY","lat":42.90988034000003,"lon":-77.70638231799995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2005-01-05","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Exploration/Settlement","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A brick Federal style church building at 5605 Avon-Lima Road in the hamlet of East Avon, Town of Avon, Livingston County, New York. Construction began in 1812 and was completed in 1815, with major renovations in 1866.","why_significant":"The church is argued to be architecturally significant as a largely intact Federal style church in the Wren-Gibbs tradition, reflecting changing Protestant tastes through much of the nineteenth century. It is historically significant for its link to the early settlement of northern Livingston County and as the last major early building in East Avon, the town's first commercial center.","narrative":"Standing at the corner of two highways in East Avon, this brick church was begun in 1812 and finished in 1815. It is a three-by-six bay Federal style building with a three-story engaged bell tower, a slate-covered broached spire and a meetinghouse interior with galleries on three sides, laid out in the Wren-Gibbs tradition. Local stone, timber and brick were used in construction, and the interior was left unfinished until 1827. Work was slowed by the War of 1812 and a regional epidemic that killed its leading organizer, John Pearson. A renovation in 1866, prompted by members leaving to form a new congregation in Avon village, added Gothic Revival stenciling, new pews and the present spire. Later additions at the rear provide offices, classrooms and meeting space. The church is listed as one of the oldest church buildings in Livingston County and the last major early building at its crossroads, which once anchored the town's first commercial center. It remains in use for worship.","period_of_significance":"1812-1954","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Early Republic/Federal; Mid-19th Century/Gothic Revival","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Continues to serve as an active house of worship.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:51:52.594022-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/04001444.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/04001444/f5044a8499-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/04001444/f5044a8499-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Pubdog (talk)","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:First_Presbyterian_Church_of_Avon_Aug_10.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Pubdog (talk)</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:First_Presbyterian_Church_of_Avon_Aug_10.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75318641","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Presbyterian_Church_of_Avon","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5453677"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/new-york/livingston-county/first-presbyterian-church-of-avon-04001444/"}