Reformed Church on Staten Island

The Archives date to 1688. The Burial Place and Baptismal Records date to 1696. In 1714 the congregation was granted a charter from Governor Hunter to build a church, the building was hexagonal in design and parishioners brought their own benches.

In retaliation for an attack on British occupying forces in the area that building was destroyed by the British during the American Revolutionary War.

1787: [1]. A new house of worship was built, parallel to the current building facing north/south on the site. The Congregation reoriented the entrance to what is today Port Richmond Avenue thanks to land donated by Daniel Tompkins, Vice President under James Monroe and founder of Tompkinsville. [2] The current building, was built in 1844 in the Greek Revival style. It is a brick building set on a fieldstone foundation made of rubble stone from the previous structure. The front facade features a portico with twin sets of flanking brick pilasters and a central pair of fluted Doric order columns. It is one of the last in-antis structures on Staten Island [3]  

[Church Cemetery]

RCSI Congregants played pivotal roles in American history. The Burial Place has 45 heroes of the wars that created America: The American Revolution, The War of 1812, and The Civil War.

The 1844 Church and 1696 Burial Place are New York City Landmarks. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005  and is a National Historic Site nominee.

There is detailed information on the entire history of the Congregation from its role in early Staten Island, through the creation of our nation, to today at the church's website: www.reformedchurchsi.org

The continuity is extraordinary. Many descendants of the early congregation still live in Port Richmond, on Staten Island, and in neighboring states. Eighty-three Staten Island streets are named for families in the Burial Place. The total rises to 125 streets with the names of families in the Baptismal Book.

Descendants of the church's original Vorleezer Hendryck Kroesen and the famous Mersereau Spy Ring are still active communicants of the church.

The church's site hosts a variety of community events from the annual 'Staten Island Summer of Shorts Film Festival' to 'Wreaths Across America' and other events related to honoring our U.S. Veterans.

The church has an official YouTube Channel where they share church service broadcasts and event highlights here.

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]