First Presbyterian Church of Hector
Why it's listed
Built in 1818, this timber-frame church sits on NY 414 in the small crossroads hamlet of Hector, in rural Schuyler County. It follows the New England meeting house tradition, reflecting the Connecticut origins of many early settlers. The clapboard building rests on a stone foundation and has two-story Doric-inspired pilasters, a pedimented central pavilion, a balustraded roofline and a tall steeple with an octagonal belfry. The entrance has leaded-glass sidelights and a fanlight. Inside, the sanctuary was altered several times, in 1853, around 1900, in 1931-32 and in 1950, and current interior features date from 1950. Rear wings were added in 1932 and more recently. The congregation, organized in 1809 as the county's first formally established religious society, has continued to worship here while many rural churches in the area closed. It is the only intact historic public building in the hamlet. A cemetery behind the church holds the graves of early settlers and examples of funerary art.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is an outstanding example of early nineteenth-century religious architecture in Schuyler County, in a Federal style reminiscent of New England meeting houses. It has Georgian-inspired features such as a balustraded bell tower, a pedimented pavilion and Doric-inspired pilasters. The attached burying ground is noted for nineteenth and early twentieth century funerary art and the graves of prominent local settlers.
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 01000547, listed May 25, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5519 NY 414, Hector |
|---|---|
| County | Schuyler County |
| Listed | May 25, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000547 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1818-1950 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Early-19th Century: Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Art |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a house of worship; the interior was remodeled in 1950 and rear wings were added in 1932 and 2001. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 42.50035, -76.87276 (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 01000547.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5453689
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.