Taylor Center Methodist Episcopal Church and Taylor District #3 School
Also known as: Second Methodist Episcopal Church of Taylor; Solon Pond Church
Why it's listed
Set between a narrow road and Solon Pond in the rural hamlet of Taylor Center, this small Methodist Episcopal church was built in 1870 on land donated by Isaac and Lydia Smith, who also gave the land for the neighboring district school. The church is a one-story white clapboard building of about 30 by 40 feet, with a gabled front, standing-seam metal roof, quarry-faced stone foundation and no steeple. Paired Queen Anne windows with colored glass edges provide its only color. Inside, the sanctuary follows the Akron Plan, with pews in concentric arcs facing a corner altar, a diagonal center aisle and sliding doors that open an adjoining room to the sanctuary. It seats no more than 75 people. The former one-room school nearby keeps its clapboard walls and original layout, but a large addition hides its front, so it is counted as non-contributing. The church was listed for its intact vernacular design.
Significance in brief: The church is argued to be significant under Criterion C as a remarkably intact, modest vernacular rural church typical of upstate New York in the later nineteenth century. Its simple exterior and its interior based on the Akron Plan, with a diagonal center aisle and sliding doors to an adjoining room, survive largely unchanged. The school is historically related but obscured by a large addition.
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 10000513, listed July 30, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 4332-4338 Cheningo-Solon Pond Rd, Taylore Center |
|---|---|
| County | Cortland County |
| Listed | July 30, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000513 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1870-1898 |
| Architectural style | Mixed (vernacular rural church with Akron Plan interior) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The church and school were recently acquired by the Taylor Historical Society, and the church is occasionally used for services. The school has a large addition obscuring its front elevation. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.61651, -75.92562 (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 10000513.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7689901
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.