First Baptist Church of Weedsport
Why it's listed
This brick Baptist church on Liberty Street in Weedsport grew from a meetinghouse begun in 1839 for a congregation formed in 1837 as an offshoot of the Brutus church. The building was expanded in 1854 and substantially remodeled in 1870 at a cost of about $10,000, when an offset bell tower and a side wing gave it an asymmetrical, picturesque form. Round-arched windows reflect the Romanesque Revival, while wood eave brackets draw on Renaissance Revival vocabulary. The builders are unknown and were probably local rather than trained architects. Inside, the worship space keeps 1870 furnishings, a circa 1880 pipe organ and memorial stained glass installed in 1910-1911 by a Rochester studio. A Fellowship Building was added in 1921 for church activities. The church was listed for its modest but well-preserved example of nineteenth-century religious architecture, interpreting popular national styles in a local way.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is locally significant under Criterion C as a modest example of eclectic nineteenth-century religious architecture. It blends Romanesque Revival and Renaissance Revival elements and retains much of its historic fabric, 1870 furnishings and early twentieth-century stained glass.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 02001640, listed December 31, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Liberty St., Weedsport |
|---|---|
| County | Cayuga County |
| Listed | December 31, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02001640 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1839-1921 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Romanesque Revival, Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a religious facility; the Fellowship Building continues to serve as a support facility for the church. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 43.04644, -76.56141 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 02001640.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5452485
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.