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First Congregational Church
309 Highland Road Year Built: 1959 Architect: Arland Dirlam; Sherwood Holt, supervising architect Style: Colonial Revival |
The First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ at 309 Highland Road draws membership and visitors to Cayuga Heights from the whole Ithaca area. The congregation, which was first affiliated with Presbyterian and Dutch Reformed denominations, was established late in the 19th century downtown in Ithaca at the corner of Seneca and Geneva Streets where St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church is located.
By mid-20th century the Congregational Church membership had grown, more parking space was needed, and the large lot was purchased at the corner of Highland Road in the village that had once been the site of the Ithaca Country Club. The colonial style brick church with a distinctive white steeple designed by noted church architect Arland Dirlam (aided by supervising architect Sherwood Holt) has been home to the congregation since 1959. In 1964 a Sunday school wing was added and rental space made available on weekday mornings for the parent-run cooperative Community Nursery School. A capital campaign in 1990 funded the addition of a chapel and large classroom to the interior of the building as well as a new church entrance.
Thanks to Pastor Emeritus Dr. Douglas Green and Barbara Taylor, church historian, for permission to draw text from the church history at http://www.fccithaca.org.
Compiled by Beatrice Szekely, Village Historian
2017
By mid-20th century the Congregational Church membership had grown, more parking space was needed, and the large lot was purchased at the corner of Highland Road in the village that had once been the site of the Ithaca Country Club. The colonial style brick church with a distinctive white steeple designed by noted church architect Arland Dirlam (aided by supervising architect Sherwood Holt) has been home to the congregation since 1959. In 1964 a Sunday school wing was added and rental space made available on weekday mornings for the parent-run cooperative Community Nursery School. A capital campaign in 1990 funded the addition of a chapel and large classroom to the interior of the building as well as a new church entrance.
Thanks to Pastor Emeritus Dr. Douglas Green and Barbara Taylor, church historian, for permission to draw text from the church history at http://www.fccithaca.org.
Compiled by Beatrice Szekely, Village Historian
2017
