First Congregational Church
Why it's listed
Standing on Main Street at Glen Road in Berkshire, this brick church was completed in 1889 and remains a focal point of the village. Elmira architects Pierce and Dockstader designed it in a blend of Queen Anne and Victorian Gothic styles. The building is roughly square in plan, with an asymmetrical roofline, gabled north and east walls with large Gothic-arched windows, and a square tower at the northeast corner topped by an open belfry and steeple. Corbelled cornices, checkerboard spring courses and stone trim decorate the brick walls, which rise from a rock-faced stone foundation. Inside, semi-circular pews follow a diagonal axis in an Akron Plan arrangement. The congregation formed in 1833, and its first building went up in 1834 on land donated by Stephen Ball. The present church replaced that structure. The exterior is described as unaltered, apart from a non-historic school wing added in 1968. The design also appeared in the architects' published pattern books.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an outstanding example of Queen Anne/Victorian Gothic architecture and one of the most architecturally distinguished buildings in the town. Its tall bell tower and asymmetrical gabled roofline stand out among the modest surrounding houses, and its exterior detail remains intact. The interior uses an Akron Plan layout with diagonal orientation and semi-circular seating.
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 84003101, listed July 2, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., Berkshire |
|---|---|
| County | Tioga County |
| Listed | July 2, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003101 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Pierce & Dockstader of Elmira, New York; builder unknown |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne/Victorian Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a church, with Sunday services; condition listed as good. A single-story church school was added at the west side in 1968. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.30173, -76.18808 (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 84003101.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5452788
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.