First Presbyterian Church
Why it's listed
This brick church on East Main Street in Waterloo, New York, was built in 1850-51 for the village's Presbyterian congregation. It is a large Romanesque Revival building with limestone trim, two 90-foot corner towers with octagonal spires, round-arched stained-glass windows and several rose windows. A one-and-one-half story chapel was attached to the east side in 1880-81, and memorial stained-glass windows were added in 1909. Inside, the sanctuary keeps its original plaster walls, wainscoting and butternut pews. The congregation first met in a schoolhouse and the courthouse around 1821, then built a Federal style frame church in 1824, soon after the Cayuga-Seneca Canal reached the village. That building was sold in 1850, and the new church was erected by builder Henry C. Vreeland for about $26,000. The architect is unknown. The church is listed for its architecture, as a distinguished local landmark that remains in use for worship.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is architecturally significant as a distinguished example of Romanesque Revival religious architecture in Waterloo. It displays round-arched openings and corbelled brick cornices, and it is the congregation's second permanent house of worship, built during the canal era. The interior survives substantially intact.
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 96001386, listed November 29, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | E. Main St., E of jct. with NY 96, Waterloo |
|---|---|
| County | Seneca County |
| Listed | November 29, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001386 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1850-1909 |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by Henry C. Vreeland, identified as "Master Builder" |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Romanesque Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a house of worship; the congregation has dwindled but the church remains a relatively vital house of worship. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Waterloo Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.90397, -76.86049 (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 96001386.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8563368
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.