First Baptist Church of Interlaken
Why it's listed
Built in 1861, this brick church at the corner of Main Street and West Avenue in Interlaken is a vernacular take on Romanesque Revival design. A square four-story tower and a smaller octagonal tower flank the entrance, giving the front an asymmetrical look. Corbelled and bracketed brick cornices, stone belt courses, buttresses and tall round-arched windows with etched, colored glass complete the exterior. Inside, ornamental oak woodwork survives. The congregation began in 1819 as the Union Baptist Church of Christ at Farmersville, built a frame church on the site in 1823, and outgrew it by the late 1850s. It then hired Horatio Nelson White, a young Syracuse architect known for the Onondaga County Courthouse. The building is considered significant for its architecture and its high degree of integrity. A large rear wing from the 1950s and 1970s is not counted as historic and currently houses a private school.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is an intact, representative example of late nineteenth century religious architecture in Seneca County. Its asymmetrical plan, square and octagonal corner towers, corbelled and bracketed brick cornices, and round-arched openings are cited as key features. It also forms the visual focal point at the south end of the village's historic central business district.
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 02001655, listed December 31, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 8414 Main St., Interlaken |
|---|---|
| County | Seneca County |
| Listed | December 31, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02001655 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1861 |
| Architect / builder | Horatio Nelson White, Syracuse |
| Architectural style | Late 19th Century: Romanesque Revival (vernacular) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a church; a modern rear wing from the 1950s and 1970s houses a private school. The northeast tower lost its Mansard roof in the mid-20th century. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.61643, -76.72524 (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 02001655.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5452470
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.