Elmsford Reformed Church and Cemetery
Why it's listed
Set on a small lot above South Central Avenue in the center of Elmsford, this wood frame church was raised in 1793 by members of a congregation organized three years earlier. They used hand-hewn beams, wood shingles and hand-wrought nails. The building is rectangular, three bays wide, with a shingled gable roof and round-arched windows with tracery. Inside, a single two-story meeting hall holds wooden pews, a rear gallery and a shallow recessed altar wall, with classically inspired plaster decoration added in the 1820s. Beside it lies a small eighteenth-century cemetery, where Revolutionary War veterans are buried, among them Isaac Van Wart, who took part in the capture of Major Andre. The church is the oldest surviving historic structure in Elmsford and the county's oldest church in continuous use. Its simple design resembles St. Peter's Church in Van Cortlandtville, and it remains an active house of worship.
Significance in brief: It is the oldest surviving historic structure in the village of Elmsford and a rare, well-preserved example of late eighteenth and early nineteenth century meeting house design in Westchester County. The congregation, organized in 1790, is described as the oldest church in continuous use in the county. The adjacent cemetery holds Revolutionary War veterans, including Isaac Van Wart.
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 83001828, listed September 15, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 30 S. Central Ave., Elmsford |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | September 15, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001828 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1793 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown; built by members of the congregation |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a house of worship and community center; the interior is relatively unchanged, with a modern porch and some later alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.05392, -73.82044 (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 83001828.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5366909
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.