First United Methodist Church
Why it's listed
Located at the corner of Second and West Streets in Ilion, this red brick Methodist church was built between 1864 and 1866 on a cut stone basement. Architect John Hose of Watertown gave it a central engaged bell tower, round-arched windows, stepped pilasters and a bracketed cornice, features typical of the Early Romanesque or Northern Italianate style. It replaced a union church the Methodists had shared with Universalists. Industrialist Philo Remington led the building committee, and the church opened in January 1866 with its $21,000 cost fully subscribed. Seating about 700, it has a sanctuary with ornate painted plasterwork and six memorial stained glass windows, four of them by Tiffany Studios. In 1890 the Remington Memorial Chapel was added, echoing the original design. A 1959 education wing and gymnasium were attached later. The church reflects Ilion's post-Civil War prosperity and the philanthropy of the Remington family.
Significance in brief: It is a large, distinguished example of Italianate-inspired (Early Romanesque, Northern Italianate) church architecture in Ilion, designed by John Hose of Watertown. It is also closely tied to the Remington family of industrialists, who funded the church, its 1890 chapel and several Tiffany memorial windows.
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 03000601, listed July 5, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 36 Second St., Ilion |
|---|---|
| County | Herkimer County |
| Listed | July 5, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000601 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1864-1928 |
| Architect / builder | John Hose (architect); Eben Cowles & Son (builders) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Italianate |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a religious facility; a 1959 education wing and gymnasium attached to the chapel are non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.01378, -75.03880 (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 03000601.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5453990
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.