{"nrhp_refnum":"97001622","name":"First Presbyterian Church of Chester","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"106-108 Main St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Chester","county":"Orange County","state":"NY","lat":41.35688957200006,"lon":-74.27750547899996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1998-01-07","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A Greek Revival church at 106-108 Main Street (NY Route 94) in Chester, Orange County, New York, built in 1854 as a timber-framed building with a rear chapel added in 1884.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the church is an exceptionally intact example of ecclesiastical architecture in Orange County, with a sanctuary virtually unchanged since the mid-nineteenth century. It is described as an outstanding adaptation of the Greek Revival style, noted for its scale, rigorous simplicity and fine craftsmanship. It also reflects how a rural church evolved with its congregation and community.","narrative":"Built in 1854 on Main Street in Chester, Orange County, this timber-framed church is a well-preserved example of Greek Revival design in a rural setting. A two-story pedimented portico with Ionic columns marks the east front, topped by an octagonal belfry. The congregation, established in the mid-eighteenth century, had already built two earlier churches before erecting this one closer to the village center; it was dedicated on January 4, 1854, at an estimated cost of ten thousand dollars. The bell, installed in 1860, served as both a call to worship and the community's fire call. A chapel was added to the rear in 1884, stained glass replaced the original windows in 1898, and an Estey pipe organ arrived in 1925. Inside, the nave, original wood pews, balustraded choir platform and balcony remain intact. The building is recognized for its architectural quality, its integrity and its role as a local landmark.","period_of_significance":"1854-1925","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Mid-19th Century/Greek Revival","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Still used as a religious property; the form describes the building as virtually intact from its period of significance.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:51:51.453457-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/97001622.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/97001622/eff66b4088-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/97001622/eff66b4088-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Daniel Case","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:First_Presbyterian_Church_of_Chester,_NY.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Daniel Case</a>, <a href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:First_Presbyterian_Church_of_Chester,_NY.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75320649","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Presbyterian_Church_of_Chester","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5453680"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/new-york/orange-county/first-presbyterian-church-of-chester-97001622/"}