Port Gibson United Methodist Church
Why it's listed
Built in 1871 on the corner of Greig and Granger Streets in Port Gibson, this brick church serves a Methodist congregation that has worshipped in the hamlet since the Erie Canal arrived. The rectangular building rests on a random ashlar foundation and has a gable roof with a corbelled brick cornice. A square frame bell tower with paired pilasters and a slate-clad octagonal spire rises at the front. Tall, narrow, round-arched windows, many of them stained glass, mark the facade and sides, and a round stained-glass oculus fills the gable. The interior remains largely intact, with plaster walls, oak trim and simple wooden pews. It replaced a cobblestone church of 1834-35, which was demolished as the congregation outgrew it during the canal boom. Construction cost about $9,000 and finished in December 1871. It is regarded as a representative example of Romanesque Revival religious architecture in northern Ontario County and remains a local landmark.
Significance in brief: It is presented as a representative example of Romanesque Revival religious architecture in northern Ontario County, with round-arched openings and corbelled brick cornices. It is also the second permanent Methodist church in Port Gibson, built during the Erie Canal era, and it remains a local landmark.
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 96001387, listed November 29, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2951 Greig St., Port Gibson |
|---|---|
| County | Ontario County |
| Listed | November 29, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001387 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1871 |
| Architect / builder | Construction supervised by a Major Schutt |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Romanesque Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a church; the congregation has shrunk since the mid-twentieth century but the church remains a relatively vital house of worship. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.03701, -77.15618 (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 96001387.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7230644
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.