Battle of Brooklyn Chapter Sons of the American Revolution
Dutch Reformed Church on Staten Island - Port Richmond
About
The Reformed Church on Staten Island, also known as the Dutch Reformed Church, is one of the oldest congregations in New York City. Founded in 1660 by Dutch settlers, it has served as a center of worship and community for over 360 years. Located in the Port Richmond neighborhood on Staten Island, the church’s historic building and burial grounds reflect Staten Island’s deep colonial and Revolutionary War heritage. Many early settlers and veterans are interred in its churchyard. Today, the Dutch Reformed Church continues its legacy as a place of faith, and community outreach, while maintaining its historic roots.
Revolutionary War Past
During the American Revolution, the church stood at the heart of Staten Island’s divided loyalties. Many members of its congregation supported independence, while others remained loyal to the Crown. The original church building was burned by the British, who labeled it a “Rebel Church,” but its congregation endured and later rebuilt, preserving both their faith and their patriotic legacy. The site became a symbol of resilience for Staten Islanders returning after the war. Today, it remains a lasting reminder of the struggle for American independence.
Post War
This Greek Revival church was built in 1844 by Staten Island builder James G. Burger and expanded in 1898 with a Colonial Revival Sunday School by architect Oscar S. Teale. Home to Staten Island’s oldest congregation, with its first church built here in 1715, the site also holds the island’s oldest non-private cemetery. It remains the only surviving distyle-in-antis temple-front church on Staten Island, with Teale’s Akron-plan addition adding a distinctive horseshoe-shaped auditorium.
The Church of Saint Andrews - Richmondtown
About
Saint Andrew’s Church, Staten Island, founded in 1708, is the oldest active Episcopal parish on the island. Its first building was erected in 1715, serving a growing English-speaking congregation amid a community of Dutch and French settlers. During the Revolutionary War, the church played a central role as British troops camped on its grounds, and the building itself was used as a hospital and garrison. Over the centuries, St. Andrew’s has endured fires, rebuilding, and expansion, while continuing to serve as a place of worship and community life for more than 300 years.
Revolutionary War Past
During the Revolutionary War, St. Andrew’s Church was a stronghold of Loyalist support. British troops under Lord Howe camped on its grounds, and the church itself was used as a hospital and garrison. The site saw skirmishes with Patriot militias, who once fired on the church, shattering its windows. From 1777–1780, the parish was served by Rev. Samuel Seabury, later consecrated as the first American bishop of the Episcopal Church.
Post War
After the Revolutionary War, St. Andrew’s entered a period of renewal and growth. Rev. Samuel Seabury, later the first American Bishop, and Rev. Channing Moore, later Bishop of Virginia, were among its notable leaders. In the 19th century, as Staten Island became one of New York’s first suburbs, the parish flourished. Though fires in 1867 and 1872 destroyed the original church, it was rebuilt in Norman-Gothic style by architect William Mersereau. St. Andrew’s continued to expand into the 20th century, celebrating its 200th and 300th anniversaries with major liturgical and community events.