First Baptist Church
Why it's listed
This brick church with limestone trim stands at the corner of North Main and Lewis Streets in Geneva, New York. Built in 1893-94 to designs by H. M. Hubbard of Utica, it is a large Romanesque Revival building with an asymmetrical profile, corner towers, turrets, cross gables, corbelled and machicolated brickwork, and large rose windows. Inside, the sanctuary follows an Akron plan, with curved oak pews, a balcony, and extensive oak woodwork. Memorial stained-glass windows are found throughout. The building was erected for a Baptist congregation organized in Geneva in 1825, after earlier meeting places including a church on Milton Street. A fund for the new building began in 1891, the cornerstone was laid on July 21, 1893, and construction finished the following year. The church was judged significant for its architecture as an outstanding example of late nineteenth century religious design in Geneva. It remains in religious use, and apart from the loss of its steeple in 1991 it looks much as it did when built.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is an outstanding example of late nineteenth century religious architecture in Geneva. It shows the style through asymmetrical massing, bold corner towers, round-arched openings, memorial stained glass and intact interior woodwork. Apart from the loss of its steeple in 1991, it remains virtually as built.
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 02001118, listed October 10, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 134 N. main St., Geneva |
|---|---|
| County | Ontario County |
| Listed | October 10, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02001118 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1893-94 |
| Architect / builder | H. M. Hubbard, Utica, NY |
| Architectural style | Late 19th Century: Romanesque Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a church; the original steeple on the southeast tower was lost in 1991, and the building otherwise remains virtually as built. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.87115, -76.98715 (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 02001118.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5452389
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.