Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow
Encyclopedia
The Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as Dutch Reformed Church (Sleepy Hollow), is a 17th century stone church located on Albany Post Road
(U.S. Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow
, New York, United States. It and its five-acre (2 ha) churchyard
feature prominently in Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
". The churchyard is often confused with the contiguous but separate Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
.
It is the oldest extant church and the 15th oldest extant building
in the state of New York, renovated after an 1837 fire. Some of those renovations were reversed 60 years later, and further work was done in 1960. It was listed on the Register in 1966, among the earliest properties so recognized. It had already been designated a National Historic Landmark
in 1961. It is still the property of the Reformed Church of the Tarrytowns
, which holds summer services there, as well as on special occasions such as Christmas Eve.
at Philipsburg Manor House, another National Historic Landmark. The churchyard and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
, itself listed on the Register, are to the north.
The building itself is a rectangular structure with a three-sided projecting rear apse
on the east end. It has two-foot–thick (60 cm) fieldstone
walls. They give way to clapboard
above the roofline, within the fields of the Flemish-style gambrel roof, with its lower segments flaring outward like a bell. On the west end of the roof is an octagonal wooden open belfry
. Within it is the original bell, with an engraved verse from Romans
8:31, "Si Deus Pro Nobis, Quis Contras Nos?" ("If God be for us, who can be against us") and "VF", Frederick Philipse's initials. The latter monogram
is also on the wrought iron
weathervane atop the belfry.
To the west a stone retaining wall
raises the church above grade level. A few shrubs flank the stone steps that lead up to the main entrance, paneled wooden double doors recessed within a Gothic archway. Above it is a glass transom with curved, intersecting muntins. It is set within a brick surround. The north and south side elevations have double-hung sash window
s, as do the two side facets of the apse. At the roofline is a molded
wooden cornice
.
The interior has its wooden pew
s, with two side aisles, arranged so all can focus on the pulpit
. The pulpit is located on a raised platform in the rear, directly opposite the main entrance. A balustrade with turned wooden posts, open at the aisles, sets the platform off from the rest of the wide-planked floor. Behind it is a table, with a lectern
on the north and an enclosed pew along the south side. The ornate wooden pulpit is raised further above the table level; access is provided by a short spiral stair. A pipe organ
is located at the rear.
, Lord of Philipse Manor
, owned the vast stretch of land spanning from Spuyten Duyvil in the Bronx to the Croton River
. After swearing allegiance and later being granted his Manorship from the English, he chose to establish his country seat at what was then known as North Tarrytown, where Pocantico Creek flowed into the Hudson River
. A small community had already been established there when he arrived in 1683, with 50 burials in the small cemetery. He built the first church for them at the southern end of the cemetery.
Philipse's wife died in 1691, and he soon remarried. His second wife urged him to build a more permanent stone church for his tenants, and later in the decade he obliged her. A marble
tablet in front of the church gives its completion date as 1699. It was placed in the 19th century, however, and it is seen as more likely that the church was finished by 1697. The congregation
was organized that year, the same year the first pastor
began serving.
The early history of the church and its members was recorded by Dirck Storm
, in his book Het Notite Boeck der Christelyckes Kercke op de Manner of Philips Burgh
. It continued to serve as the church of Philipse Manor through the Revolution
, when the family's lands were confiscated by the state for siding with the Crown
. At that time the special pews for the Lord of the Manor were removed and the plain oak
benches for the tenants were replaced with pine pews.
Thereafter it continued without the patronage. Washington Irving
, whose Sunnyside
estate was a few miles to the south, made the church famous when he gave it prominent mention in his early 19th-century short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
". He later gave yellow bricks from the church to outline the construction date on the wall above the door at Bolton Priory
in Pelham Manor, New York
.
In 1837 a fire damaged the church. During the repairs some significant changes were made to the building. The main entrance was moved from the south facade
to its current location on the west, the windows and door entry were changed to the Gothic arches then in style and given brick surrounds. Inside, the north gallery was removed and the west one enlarged. The original ceiling beams and pulpit were replaced.
Sixty years later the church was renovated again for its bicentennial. That work reversed the 1837 renovations by restoring the original ceiling and reproducing the original pulpit. The Tarrytowns had grown through the 19th century, and a branch church had been built in Tarrytown
to minister to the expanded congregation. Eventually that church became the main church, and the original building was used only for special occasions, a practice that continued until the most recent renovation in the 1990s. Currently, worship services are held from June through September.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as Dutch Reformed Church (Sleepy Hollow), is a 17th century stone church located on Albany Post Road
Albany Post Road
The Albany Post Road was a post road - a road used for mail delivery - in the U.S. state of New York. It connected the cities of New York and Albany along the east side of the Hudson River, a service now performed by US 9.The rough route was as follows:...
(U.S. Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow
Sleepy Hollow, New York
Sleepy Hollow is a village in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by the Philipse Manor stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line.Originally...
, New York, United States. It and its five-acre (2 ha) churchyard
Churchyard
A churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language or Northern English language this can also be known as a kirkyard or kirkyaird....
feature prominently in Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is a short story by Washington Irving contained in his collection The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., written while he was living in Birmingham, England, and first published in 1820...
". The churchyard is often confused with the contiguous but separate Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York is the resting place of numerous famous figures, including Washington Irving, whose story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is set in the adjacent Old Dutch Burying Ground. Incorporated in 1849 as Tarrytown Cemetery, it posthumously honored Irving's...
.
It is the oldest extant church and the 15th oldest extant building
Building
In architecture, construction, engineering, real estate development and technology the word building may refer to one of the following:...
in the state of New York, renovated after an 1837 fire. Some of those renovations were reversed 60 years later, and further work was done in 1960. It was listed on the Register in 1966, among the earliest properties so recognized. It had already been designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1961. It is still the property of the Reformed Church of the Tarrytowns
Reformed Church of the Tarrytowns
The Reformed Church of the Tarrytowns in Tarrytown, New York serves both Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, New York. It was constructed in 1837 as an extension of the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow to serve the Tarrytown community....
, which holds summer services there, as well as on special occasions such as Christmas Eve.
Building
The church is located on the east side of Albany Post Road, opposite the Devries Road intersection, just north of downtown Sleepy Hollow. The neighborhoods to the west are residential. A wooded area to the southeast buffers the church from residential areas in that direction. Approximately 300 ft (100 m) to the south is the mill pondMill pond
A mill pond is any body of water used as a reservoir for a water-powered mill. Mill ponds were often created through the construction of a mill dam across a waterway. In many places, the common proper name Mill Pond name has remained even though the mill has long since gone...
at Philipsburg Manor House, another National Historic Landmark. The churchyard and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York is the resting place of numerous famous figures, including Washington Irving, whose story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is set in the adjacent Old Dutch Burying Ground. Incorporated in 1849 as Tarrytown Cemetery, it posthumously honored Irving's...
, itself listed on the Register, are to the north.
The building itself is a rectangular structure with a three-sided projecting rear apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
on the east end. It has two-foot–thick (60 cm) fieldstone
Fieldstone
Fieldstone is a building construction material. Strictly speaking, it is stone collected from the surface of fields where it occurs naturally...
walls. They give way to clapboard
Clapboard (architecture)
Clapboard, also known as bevel siding or lap siding or weather-board , is a board used typically for exterior horizontal siding that has one edge thicker than the other and where the board above laps over the one below...
above the roofline, within the fields of the Flemish-style gambrel roof, with its lower segments flaring outward like a bell. On the west end of the roof is an octagonal wooden open belfry
Belfry
The term belfry has a variety of uses:*Bell tower, an architectural term*Belfry, a type of medieval siege tower*Belfry, Montana, a town in the United States*The Belfry, an English golf club...
. Within it is the original bell, with an engraved verse from Romans
Epistle to the Romans
The Epistle of Paul to the Romans, often shortened to Romans, is the sixth book in the New Testament. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed by the Apostle Paul to explain that Salvation is offered through the Gospel of Jesus Christ...
8:31, "Si Deus Pro Nobis, Quis Contras Nos?" ("If God be for us, who can be against us") and "VF", Frederick Philipse's initials. The latter monogram
Monogram
A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos. A series of uncombined initials is properly referred to as a...
is also on the wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
weathervane atop the belfry.
To the west a stone retaining wall
Retaining wall
Retaining walls are built in order to hold back earth which would otherwise move downwards. Their purpose is to stabilize slopes and provide useful areas at different elevations, e.g...
raises the church above grade level. A few shrubs flank the stone steps that lead up to the main entrance, paneled wooden double doors recessed within a Gothic archway. Above it is a glass transom with curved, intersecting muntins. It is set within a brick surround. The north and south side elevations have double-hung sash window
Sash window
A sash window or hung sash window is made of one or more movable panels or "sashes" that form a frame to hold panes of glass, which are often separated from other panes by narrow muntins...
s, as do the two side facets of the apse. At the roofline is a molded
Molding (decorative)
Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...
wooden cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
.
The interior has its wooden pew
Pew
A pew is a long bench seat or enclosed box used for seating members of a congregation or choir in a church, or sometimes in a courtroom.-Overview:Churches were not commonly furnished with permanent pews before the Protestant Reformation...
s, with two side aisles, arranged so all can focus on the pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
. The pulpit is located on a raised platform in the rear, directly opposite the main entrance. A balustrade with turned wooden posts, open at the aisles, sets the platform off from the rest of the wide-planked floor. Behind it is a table, with a lectern
Lectern
A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, usually placed on a stand or affixed to some other form of support, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon...
on the north and an enclosed pew along the south side. The ornate wooden pulpit is raised further above the table level; access is provided by a short spiral stair. A pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
is located at the rear.
History
Frederick Philipse IFrederick Philipse I
Frederick Philipse , Lord of Philipse Manor, owned the vast stretch of land spanning from Spuyten Duyvil in the Bronx to the Croton River...
, Lord of Philipse Manor
Philipse Manor
Philipse Manor may refer to several places in Westchester County, New York:*Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site, a building in Yonkers, New York, former residence of Frederick Philipse's descendants...
, owned the vast stretch of land spanning from Spuyten Duyvil in the Bronx to the Croton River
Croton River
The Croton River is a river in southern New York that begins where the East and West Branches of the Croton River meet a little way downstream from the Croton Falls Reservoir...
. After swearing allegiance and later being granted his Manorship from the English, he chose to establish his country seat at what was then known as North Tarrytown, where Pocantico Creek flowed into the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. A small community had already been established there when he arrived in 1683, with 50 burials in the small cemetery. He built the first church for them at the southern end of the cemetery.
Philipse's wife died in 1691, and he soon remarried. His second wife urged him to build a more permanent stone church for his tenants, and later in the decade he obliged her. A marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
tablet in front of the church gives its completion date as 1699. It was placed in the 19th century, however, and it is seen as more likely that the church was finished by 1697. The congregation
Congregation
A congregation is a large gathering of people, often for the purpose of worship:* Local church* Congregation , an administrative body of the Roman Catholic Church...
was organized that year, the same year the first pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
began serving.
The early history of the church and its members was recorded by Dirck Storm
Dirck Storm
Dirck Storm was an early colonial American famous for composing the history of the Dutch community at Sleepy Hollow and beginning the community's records. His book "Het Notite Boeck der Christelyckes Kercke op de Manner of Philips Burgh" is one of the nation's most valuable historical documents...
, in his book Het Notite Boeck der Christelyckes Kercke op de Manner of Philips Burgh
Het Notite Boeck der Christelyckes Kercke op de Manner of Philips Burgh
Het Notite Boeck der Christelyckes kercke op de Manner of Philips Burgh is a rare surviving record book of the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow in Sleepy Hollow, New York....
. It continued to serve as the church of Philipse Manor through the Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, when the family's lands were confiscated by the state for siding with the Crown
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
. At that time the special pews for the Lord of the Manor were removed and the plain oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
benches for the tenants were replaced with pine pews.
Thereafter it continued without the patronage. Washington Irving
Washington Irving
Washington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century. He was best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle", both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works...
, whose Sunnyside
Sunnyside (Tarrytown, New York)
Sunnyside is a historic house on 10 acres of grounds alongside the Hudson River in Tarrytown, New York. It was formerly the home of noted early American author Washington Irving, best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle", and is a National Historic...
estate was a few miles to the south, made the church famous when he gave it prominent mention in his early 19th-century short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is a short story by Washington Irving contained in his collection The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., written while he was living in Birmingham, England, and first published in 1820...
". He later gave yellow bricks from the church to outline the construction date on the wall above the door at Bolton Priory
Bolton Priory (Pelham Manor, New York)
Bolton Priory is a historic home located at Pelham Manor, Westchester County, New York. It was built in 1838 as a home for the Bolton family and is an asymmetrical stone and brick building. It consists of a long two story block intersected by a two story, gable roofed wing. It features a four...
in Pelham Manor, New York
Pelham Manor, New York
Pelham Manor is a village located in Westchester County, New York, USA. As of the 2010 census, the village had a total population of 5,486. It is located in the town of Pelham.- Demographics :...
.
In 1837 a fire damaged the church. During the repairs some significant changes were made to the building. The main entrance was moved from the south facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
to its current location on the west, the windows and door entry were changed to the Gothic arches then in style and given brick surrounds. Inside, the north gallery was removed and the west one enlarged. The original ceiling beams and pulpit were replaced.
Sixty years later the church was renovated again for its bicentennial. That work reversed the 1837 renovations by restoring the original ceiling and reproducing the original pulpit. The Tarrytowns had grown through the 19th century, and a branch church had been built in Tarrytown
Tarrytown, New York
Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line...
to minister to the expanded congregation. Eventually that church became the main church, and the original building was used only for special occasions, a practice that continued until the most recent renovation in the 1990s. Currently, worship services are held from June through September.
Notable Burials
- Frederick Philipse (1626-1702) - formerly held 52,000 acres (210 km²) of land along the Hudson RiverHudson RiverThe Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
, Philipsburg ManorPhilipsburg ManorPhilipsburg Manor is a historic house, water mill, and trading site located on US 9 in the village of Sleepy Hollow, New York. It is now operated as a non-profit museum by Historic Hudson Valley; an admission fee is charged...
; builder of the church of Sleepy Hollow - Eleanor Van Tassel Brush (1763-1861) - one of several possible models for Katrina in "The Legend of Sleepy HollowThe Legend of Sleepy Hollow"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is a short story by Washington Irving contained in his collection The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., written while he was living in Birmingham, England, and first published in 1820...
" - Catriena Ecker Van Tessel - a possible model for Katrina in "The Legend of Sleepy HollowThe Legend of Sleepy Hollow"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is a short story by Washington Irving contained in his collection The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., written while he was living in Birmingham, England, and first published in 1820...
" and her Revolutionary War hero husband Petrus Van Tessel - Wolfert AckerWolfert AckerWolfert Acker was a colonial-period American who is featured in Washington Irving's short story collection Wolfert's Roost. His name was recorded in all combinations of Wolfert or Wolvert as given name, and Acker, Echert, or Ecker as surname. He was born in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York and died at...
(1667–1753), former deacon of the church, Collector of PhilipsburgPhilipsburgPhilipsburg is the name of some places in the United States of America:*Philipsburg, Montana*Philipsburg, Pennsylvania Other places...
, and subject of Washington IrvingWashington IrvingWashington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century. He was best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle", both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works...
's "Wofert's Roost." His wife Maretje Sibouts and his brother Jan Acker, the church's first deacon, was also buried here (supposedly in the church). - Wolfert's son Syboat Acker (gravestone was one of 36 restored by the Rockefeller Family).
- Susanna Requa, first wife of Revolutionary War hero and founder of Newburgh Ferry, NY, Wolfert Ecker. Wofert is buried with his second wife in Marlborough, New YorkMarlborough, New YorkMarlborough is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 8,263 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the Duke of Marlborough....
. - Abraham Martling (1743-1830) - a possible inspiration for the character of Brom Bones in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"
- William Paulding, Jr.William Paulding, Jr.William Paulding, Jr. was a United States Representative from New York and a Mayor of New York City. Born in Philipsburgh , Westchester County, he completed preparatory studies, studied law, was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in New York...
(1770-1854), U.S. Representative from New York and mayor of New York City - Dirck StormDirck StormDirck Storm was an early colonial American famous for composing the history of the Dutch community at Sleepy Hollow and beginning the community's records. His book "Het Notite Boeck der Christelyckes Kercke op de Manner of Philips Burgh" is one of the nation's most valuable historical documents...
(1630-1715) - author of "Het Notite Boeck der Christelyckes Kercke op de Manner of Philips BurghHet Notite Boeck der Christelyckes Kercke op de Manner of Philips BurghHet Notite Boeck der Christelyckes kercke op de Manner of Philips Burgh is a rare surviving record book of the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow in Sleepy Hollow, New York....
," a book about the early years of the Old Dutch Church. He also served as Town Clerk in the early years of many New AmsterdamNew AmsterdamNew Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement that served as the capital of New Netherland. It later became New York City....
communities, including New Lots, Flatbush and Bedford, as well as Tax Collector for Frederick Philipse. - Joseph Youngs (1722-1789) and Susannah Youngs, (1732-1783) - the parents of Samuel Youngs, one of several possible models for Ichabod CraneIchabod CraneIchabod Crane is a fictional character in Washington Irving's short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, first published in 1820.-Origin:...
- Samuel YoungsSamuel YoungsSamuel Youngs was an American school teacher. He was a friend of Washington Irving and may have served as inspiration for the character Ichabod Crane in Irving's story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"....
(1760-1839) - Friend of Washington IrvingWashington IrvingWashington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century. He was best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle", both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works...
and one of several possible models for the character of Ichabod Crane of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. His remains were later removed to OssiningOssining (town), New YorkOssining is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 37,674 at the 2010 census. It contains two villages, the Village of Ossining and part of Briarcliff Manor, the rest of which is located in the Town of Mount Pleasant....
's Dale Cemetery.
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in New York
- List of the oldest buildings in New York
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Westchester County, New York
- Oldest churches in the United StatesOldest churches in the United StatesThe designation of the oldest church in the United States requires careful use of definitions, and must be divided into two parts, the oldest in the sense of oldest surviving building, and the oldest in the sense of oldest Christian church congregation...
External links
- Old Dutch Reformed Church, Albany Post Road (U.S. Route 9), Tarrytown, Westchester, NY: 4 drawings, 10 photos, 1 data page, and 1 photo caption page at Historic American Building Survey
- Old Dutch Burying Ground
- The Reformed Church of the Tarrytowns