{"nrhp_refnum":"08001140","name":"Baptist Church of Springville, The","other_names":["Free Baptist Church of the Springville, First Baptist Church","of Springville, Springville Center for the Arts"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"37 N. Buffalo St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Springville","county":"Erie County","state":"NY","lat":42.51158714600007,"lon":-78.66647553699994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2008-12-05","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture","Social History"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A Gothic Revival brick church at 37 North Buffalo Street in the village of Springville, Erie County, New York, built in 1869 for a Free Will Baptist congregation and enlarged in 1913-14.","why_significant":"The nomination presents the church as a good example of Gothic Revival architecture and an intact ecclesiastical design by regional architect Cyrus K. Porter. It also argues the building yields information about the development of Springville's municipal and religious center and the establishment of the village's Baptist congregations. The 1913-14 renovation marked the merger of the Free Will and First Baptist congregations.","narrative":"Built in 1869 for Springville's Free Will Baptist congregation, this red brick church with limestone trim sits at the corner of North Buffalo and Franklin Streets, in the civic and religious heart of the village near Fiddler's Green. Architect Cyrus K. Porter gave it crenellations, lancet windows, Tudor arches and an off-center bell tower. In 1913 the Free Will and First Baptist congregations merged, and a major renovation followed in 1913-14. Architect F.L. Buckley designed an L-shaped narthex and a rear addition, the failing north wall was rebuilt, and opalescent stained glass windows and a pipe organ were installed. The building holds twenty-nine stained glass windows and its original Troy-cast bell. A 1953 renovation added a second floor and basement in the south wing. The congregation sold the property in 2005, and it now serves as an arts venue. It was listed for its Gothic Revival design and its role in the village's social and religious history.","period_of_significance":"1869-1914","architect_builder":"Cyrus K. Porter, architect, S.R. Smith, builder (1869); F.L. Buckley, architect, Lakeshore Construction, builder (1914); Booth Art Glass Works, stained glass (1913)","architectural_style":"Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revivals / Late Gothic Revival","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"The congregation disbanded and sold the property in 2005. The sanctuary is currently used as a theater and the prayer room as a gallery space; some interior fabric was removed earlier and is in storage awaiting restoration.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:51:52.691823-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/08001140.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/08001140/1fff0f73d9-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/08001140/1fff0f73d9-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Pubdog (talk)","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Springville_Baptist_Jun_09.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Pubdog (talk)</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Springville_Baptist_Jun_09.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75317544","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springville_Center_for_the_Arts","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7581243"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/new-york/erie-county/baptist-church-of-springville-the-08001140/"}