First Congregational Church

By 1838 the Westbury Ecclesiastical Society had outgrown its second building which had been built where the Town Hall now stands, and was looking to build a third Meetinghouse.

Many meetings were held to discuss which land to purchase, the Dutton lot or the Woodward properties. There were so many votes taken and rescinded from April, 1838 to the spring of 1839, that finally three disinterested persons were appointed by the county court to make the decision where to locate the church.

Somehow reconciliation was reached and the Society hired Stephen Baldwin of New Hartford to erect the new meetinghouse on the Woodward properties at a cost of $4,475.  It was suggested that Mr. Baldwin fashion the new meetinghouse after the church in Plymouth, Connecticut, which he also built.

In June, 1839 the new meetinghouse was raised, and in January, 1840 it was dedicated to God with ministers from surrounding towns participating.

At this time pews were auctioned off, with fifteen pews downstairs set aside for use by those not willing to purchase a pew. When the new meetinghouse was dedicated in 1840, the system of pew rents was introduced.  It continued until 1919 when all pews were declared free!  From that time forward the church has been supported by voluntary pledges.

The old meetinghouse was torn down by Mr. Baldwin, and he used some of the stones from the foundation to build the steps into the current sanctuary. The bell, cushions, pulpit furniture and stove from the old meetinghouse were used in the new one. The final cost of the present building was $4,905.75 with $592 for extras. In 1851 the old belfry bell was replaced by the one still in use today.

Mr. Baldwin built the meetinghouse in the Greek Revival style which was popular at the time. The four large columns in the front of the building and decorating two steps of the steeple are Ionic in style. The Doric style was used on the columns in the belfry section of the steeple and on the interior columns which support the balconies.

Over the years the sanctuary interior has undergone many changes. In the late 1880’s it was heavily decorated in the Victorian style with dark wooden panels placed on the walls. In 1924 the sanctuary was again remodeled and returned to its original colonial style. The large brass chandelier hangs from a rosette of acanthus leaves and today can be lowered electrically for cleaning and replacing bulbs. In Greek history the acanthus leaves symbolized enduring life, and in the Christian tradition, they represent the resurrection.