New Utrecht Church turns 330!

By Matthew Lysiak
The Brooklyn Paper

Once you hit 330, that’s when everything really goes down hill.

More than 100 residents showed up last Saturday at the New Utrecht Reformed Church to celebrate the old parish’s 330th birthday with an old-fashioned church dinner, followed by worship and stories chronicling three centuries of enduring the elements.

“It’s the third-oldest continuous structure in Brooklyn,” said local history buff David Elligers. “In 1790, George Washington even paid a visit, staying at a local farmer’s inn at the corner of 84th Street and 16th Avenue.”

The historic church, which is now at its “new” location at 18th Avenue and 84th Street, was founded in 1677 and is considered by historians to be among Brooklyn’s most-cherished structures, especially the New Utrecht Parish House with its magnificent stained-glass windows.

The main church building and sanctuary located next door dates back to 1828 and has had to undergo extensive repairs just to keep it standing.

The Friends of New Utrecht, a group of residents whose goal is church preservation, have helped to raise enough funds to complete a roof-restoration and are currently raising more in hopes of next renovating the walls and the interior.