HomeMy WebLinkAboutContinuation Sheet - 1871 Trumansburg Road, Church.pdfN.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet
Address: 1871 Trumansburg Road (church)
Village/Hamlet: Jacksonville (Ulysses)
Narrative Description of Property
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The large triangular property that the Jacksonville Community Church shares with
School House #9 was historically the social, education, and religious center for the
hamlet. The Queen Anne style church is located on the northeast side of Trumansburg
Road, directly southeast of the school house. The church has a small set -back from
Trumansburg Road. Historically it was deeper, but the mid -20th century widening of the
road resulted in a reduction in greenspace.
The complex form of the one -and -a -half story church is unified by the broad planes of tits
high, steeply pitched roof. The roof ridge of the central section runs perpendicular to
Trumansburg Road/Route 96. Wings to the southeast and northwest vary in lengths with
roof ridges parallel to the road.
A semi -hexagonal entry porch projects from the central portion of the church on
the main (southwest) fagade. The porch is surmounted by an overhanding, stage -top
tower that features Gothic Revival style detailing, including lancet arches and colonetts in
the bell tower and as windows. (The bell was purchased in 186 and remains in use today.)
They are features in groupings of twos, threes, and fives. The steeple has flared eaves.
The original slate roof was replaced post -1983 with asphalt singles. The roof of the
steeple retains slate.
The church has a number of noteworthy stained glass windows, currently
unavailable for viewing due to a capital improvement campaign. The main facade
includes a large circular stained glass window. The three pointed arch stained glass
memorial windows, located on the southwestern facade, are notable. Additional windows,
referenced earlier, include glazed, double lancet arch windows, each divided by a
colonette and set into rectangular frames located on the southeastern, northwestern and
southwestern facades.
Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 1
N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet
Address: 1871 Trumansburg Road (church)
Village/Hamlet: Jacksonville (Ulysses)
Narrative Description of Property (continued)
The doors of the central, main fagade are paired with double leaf, wood panels
below stained glass top lights and brass knobs.
Historically, the building was clad with wooden shingles in the gables and
clapboard below. Since 1983, the clapboard has been covered with vinyl. The green
shingles remain. The previous architectural survey notes that this green/white
monochromatic pattern is original to the building. The foundation is constructed of
siltstone.
The church also features a Garrett House Organ that was purchased in 1873,
eventually electrified, and remains in use today.
Narrative Description of Significance
The first Methodist class was organized in the vicinity of Jacksonville in 1803. On
August 11, 1826, a deed for one acre of land on which the schoolhouse and the church
now stand was conveyed by Philip Van Cortland to the Town of Jacksonville. Van
Cortland was a veteran of the Revolutionary War who received a land grand as
compensation for his services.
Historically, the church was known as the Jacksonville Methodist Episcopal
Church. The church was renamed to the Jacksonville Community church as part of the
rural church movement of the 1940s.
The current church building is the second constructed on the parcel. The first was
built in 1827. Over the 19th century, the congregation grew, particularly under the
leadership of Reverend George Britten, who joined the church in 1880. The members
undertook fundraising campaigns, moving the first church building to its present site just
north of the intersection of Jacksonville Road and Trumansburg Road/Route 96. The
1827 building was renovated to house municipal administrative offices.
Construction for the current church building commenced in January 1898. The
cornerstone was laid the following May and the facility was dedicated on November 23,
1898.
The church was designed by Pierce and Dockstader, an Elmira architectural firm.
The commission started in 1896 and was one of twenty-five churches designed by the
firm during its six-year duration between 1894 and 1890. Dockstader left the firm in 1890
and was replaced by Hiram A. Bickford. The firm of Pierce and Bickford achieved
considerable prominence in Central New York, disbanding in 1930 after the deaths of
both principle architects.
Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 2
N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet
Address: 1871 Trumansburg Road (church)
Village/Hamlet: Jacksonville (Ulysses)
Narrative Description of Significance (continued)
The church has experienced a variety of alterations over the last century. In the
original design, the basement only contained only a small kitchen and furnace. Between
1898 and 1905, a dining room was added to the basement. In 1930, an enlarged basement
was dedicated, providing Sunday School rooms, as well as improved dining and kitchen
facilities.
Internally, the church was originally designed to follow an auditorium plan,
common for Methodist churches of the late 19th century. The sanctuary was remodeled in
1946 and dedicated on March 31, 1946 by Reverend Arthur Moody and Bishop W. Earl
Ledden. The stained glass windows were dedicated on the church's golden anniversary of
May 24, 1948. In 1979, a ramp was added for accessibility on the main fagade.
A long, one-story L-shaped cement block addition with a low-pitched gable roof
is attached to the rear (northeast) facade of the church. This addition was added to
provide fellowship space and new kitchen facilities for the social activities for the
congregation. Groundbreaking commenced began on July 21, 1981.
Partial History of Ownership Date Acquired Book Page
Philip Van Cortlandt c. 1791
Town of Jacksonville 8/11/1826 ($1)
Jacksonville Community Church/ c. 1827
Methodist -Episcopal
Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 3
N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet
Address: 1871 Trumansburg Road (church)
Village/Hamlet: Jacksonville (Ulysses)
Figure 1: Northwestern and southwestern facades
Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 4
N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet
Address: 1871 Trumansburg Road (church)
Village/Hamlet: Jacksonville (Ulysses)
Figure 2: Northeastern and northwestern facades
Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 5
N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet
Address: 1871 Trumansburg Road (church)
Village/Hamlet: Jacksonville (Ulysses)
Figure 3: Main (south) facade
Sources
Celebration of the Bicentennial of the United States ofAmerica in the Town of Ulysses
and the Village of Trumansburg. Publisher unknown: 1976.
Chatterton, Leslie. "Building Structure Inventory Form: Schoolhouse #9."
Jacksonville, NY. December 1985.
Fagan, L. Map of Tompkins County. Philadelphia: Horace and Charles T.
Smith, 1853.
Jacksonville Community Church. "History Highlights," n.d.
http://www.jcumc.com/HighlightsofChurchHistory, accessed July 27, 2014.
New Topographical Atlas of Tompkins County. Philadelphia: Stone and
Stewart, 1866.
Tompkins County. "Property Description Report For: 1869 Trumansburg Road,
Municipality of Ulysses." Image Mate Online. Accessed July 20, 2014.
Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 6