Mortgage-Burning Ceremony of the Congregational Church of North Pelham in 1906

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.

Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.

Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

There once stood in Pelhamville a beautiful little church known officially as the "Church of the Covenant, Congregational."  The Church evolved out of "The Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville" (also known as "The Union Sunday School") founded in 1875.  The church itself was organized in 1888.  Informally, the Church of the Covenant, Congregational was known as both the Church of the Covenant and the Congregational Church.  

By 1910, the tiny little church was in need of repair and was no longer large enough to serve the congregation. In connection with a "reorganization" of the church and its affiliated societies, on October 26, 1910 a new pastor, Rev. C. Conal Mackay, was called to the pastorate. Three weeks later, on November 16, 1910, the congregation authorized the construction of a new church building at a new location: Lot 34 on the corner of Maple Avenue and Central Avenue in Chester Park, Village of North Pelham.  The congregation built and used the new Chester Park church for only a few years before the church folded.  The church building later was converted to a home that still stands at 45 Maple.

I have written extensively about the little Church of the Covenant, Congregational.  See, e.g.:

Thu., Jul. 23, 2015:  The Home at 45 Maple in Chester Park Built to Serve as a Church.

Tue., Jan. 20, 2015:  The Precise Location of the Congregational Church as Shown on a Map Published in 1908.

Wed., Nov. 19, 2014:  Rare Early Image of the Congregational Church of North Pelham in the Early 20th Century.

Tue., May 6, 2014:  More on the History of the Congregational Church of North Pelham.

Fri., Apr. 18, 2014:  The Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville.

Fri., Feb. 28, 2014:  Brief History of the Role Churches Played in the Growth of the Pelhams Published in 1926.

Mon., Sep. 21, 2009:  January 1882 Account of the 1881 Christmas Festival Held at the Union Sabbath School in Pelhamville. 

Mon., Aug. 24, 2009:  1878 Advertisement for Services of The Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville.

Tue., Mar. 7, 2006:  The Church of the Covenant of Pelhamville Organized in 1888.

In 1906, the congregation of the Church of the Covenant, Congregational achieved an important milestone in the life of the church.  It paid off its mortgage.  

On the evening of July 1, 1906, members of the congregation gathered in the tiny Congregational Church sanctuary to hold a mortgage-burning celebration.  The pastor of the church, Rev. Wayland Spaulding, hosted the celebration.  

It was a joyous celebration during which Rev. Spaulding expressed the importance of paying debts.  At the appropriate time, the Clerk of the Church, George Glover, placed the mortgage in a tin platter, lit a match, and ignited it.  As flames devoured the paper, the congregation sang the Doxology. It was, indeed, a happy time in the life of the little church that, sadly, lasted only a few more years.

Obverse of Undated Real Photo Post Card (RPP) Showing

"CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. NO. PELHAM, N.Y." Circa 1910.

Source: eBay Auction Listing for the Post Card.

*          *          *           *           *

"MORTGAGE IS BURNED BY THE PELHAM CHURCH
-----
Interesting Ceremonies Held at Congregational Edifice Last Night
-----
SOCIETY FREE FROM HEAVY OBLIGATIONS
-----

North Pelham, July 2. -- A good sized audience witnesses an important ceremony in the Congregational church of North Pelham, last evening when the mortgage on the church building was burned.  The match was applied to this important piece of paper by George Glover, clerk of the church, and as the flames ignited and devoured it, the congregation sang the Doxology.  Just after the audience had finished singing this well known hymn in a most enthusiastic manner, the flames had done their work and all that was left in the little tin platter, were the ashes of the document.

Before the burning of the mortgage, the pastor, the Rev. Wayland Spaulding, preached an interesting sermon appropriate to the occasion.  He said among other things that it is a very necessary thing for a man to pay his bills.  A firm before it sells a man a bill of goods on credit, generally finds out if he is good for the money.  No Christian can afford to have a bad reputation of not paying his bills.  The church should be like the Christian, beyond the shadow of suspicion.

Mr. Spaulding spoke of Pliny's famous letter to the Roman emperor in which he described the new sect 'Christianol' as harmless and composed of people who pay their debts.  He said, 'It is a beautiful thing to see a church get out of any obligation that it has incurred.'

'Here is a church that is open to us all; free for the worship of the Father.  It would seem that this church could not have been built without carrying a mortgage.'  He spoke of the financial condition of some churches and in that connection said, 'it does no good to sue a church.  You might as well sue a jelly fish.'  He said that the people in North Pelham had stood by their church until they now see it free from all obligations.

He stated that he had known of churches which were way behind in the minister's salary.  In order to pay this off they would give the pastor a cord of wood, put the high price of good on it and then apply it on his salary.  In other instances, he has known of churches where they would get up donation parties for the pastor and then all the people would swarm in and eat everything up.

He believed that it was often necessary to mortgage the future.  Then it is right for the man, carrying such a mortgage to pay it off, year by year.  He thought that the Almighty had led the church of Pelham in this way and that the members had by the ceremony, etc., the proof of that which they owed as paid."

Source:  MORTGAGE IS BURNED BY THE PELHAM CHURCH -- Interesting Ceremonies Held at Congregational Edifice Last Night -- SOCIETY FREE FROM HEAVY OBLIGATIONS, Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Jul. 2, 1906, Whole No. 4357, p. 1, col. 4.

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.

Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.

Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

The Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville Used the Pelhamville Train Station for Services in 1878

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

The Union Sabbath-School Society was a predecessor organization to the Congregational Church of North Pelham.  The Congregational Church of North Pelham, organized in 1888, no longer exists.

Although the organization formally known as "Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville" was incorporated as a religious organization on July 20, 1878, its origins date back to 1876.  That year, a group of Pelhamville residents organized to provide "instruction in Christian education" to their children.  The group asked Eli Trott and Jared Macy of the Children's Aid Society in New York to help them organize "a Sunday school that would be Christian and at the same time non-sectarian."  The organization was formally incorporated with Eli Trott, Superintendent; S. B. Carlisle, Assistant Superintendent; Alex B. Macy, Secretary; and Jared Macy, Treasurer.  

I have written before about the history of the Union Sabbath School.  See: 

Fri., Apr. 18, 2014:  The Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville.  

Fri., Feb. 28, 2014:  Brief History of the Role Churches Played in the Growth of the Pelhams Published in 1926. 

Mon., Sep. 21, 2009:  January 1882 Account of the 1881 Christmas Festival Held at the Union Sabbath School in Pelhamville. 

Mon., Aug. 24, 2009:  1878 Advertisement for Services of The Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville.

The organization provided more broadly for the spiritual needs of Pelhamville residents than merely Sunday School for the youngsters.  It arranged for revolving appearances of local church ministers from Mount Vernon and Pelham Manor to deliver sermons to the congregation.  Early services and Sunday School gatherings were held in the parlor of the home of Mr. Richard Sherwood of Pelhamville.  

At first, there were "sixteen scholars and teachers" in the Sunday School.  Within about eighteen months, however, that number had grown to eighty and Mr. Sherwood's parlor could no longer accommodate the crowds.  On nice days, the congregation held Sunday school and church services "in the open fields."  By April, 1878, members of The Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville were engaged in extensive fundraising activities and were beseeching other local congregations to help them raise the funds necessary to build a small chapel.

At about this time, the organization was able to arrange the use of the Pelhamville Depot on the New Haven Line during the month of June for Sunday School in the afternoon and for Sunday services in the evening.  The organization placed advertisements in The Chronicle, a Mount Vernon newspaper, indicating that Sunday School would be held in the train station at 3:00 p.m. each Sunday in June and that various local ministers would preach sermons in the train station at 7:30 p.m. under the following schedule:

June 2:  Rev. Dr. Hiscox of Mount Vernon.
June 9:  Rev. Dr. Henry Randall Wait of Pelham Manor.
June 16:  Rev. A. C. Bowdish of Mount Vernon.
June 23:  Rev. M. H. Hutton of Mount Vernon.
June 30:  Sabbath School Concert.

This is another example of Pelham institutions supporting local citizens who sought to organize and grow local religious organizations.  Various such organizations used not only the Pelhamville Train Depot, but also local barns, and even the Pelham Picture House after that movie theater was built.  Though the Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville no longer exists, it remains an important part of the early history of the tiny community once known as Pelhamville.

One of the Only Known Depictions of the Tiny

Pelhamville Depot Where Members of The

Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville

Held Sunday School and Sabbath Services in

June, 1878.  Source:  January 16, 1886 Issue of

Scientific American, "A Remarkable Railroad Accident."

NOTE: Click on Images to Enlarge.

*          *          *          *          *

NOTE:  Click on Image To Enlarge.  Text,

Citation and Link to Original Immediately Below.

"UNION GOSPEL SERVICES.
-----

THE UNION SABBATH-SCHOOL SOCIETY of Pelhamville, will hold SABBATH SERVICES, every Sabbath in June, at the Pelhamville Depot, at 7:30 o'clock, P.M.  Preaching services as follows:  June 2d, Rev. Dr. Hiscox, of Mount Vernon.  June 9th, Rev. Dr. Waite, of Pelham Manor.  June 16th, Rev. A. C. Bowdish, of Mount Vernon.  June 23d, Rev. M. H. Hutton, of Mount Vernon.  Services of Song the first half hour.  Singing from Moody and Sankey books.  Sabbath School Concert June 30.  Several Sabbath-school workers will be present and address the school.  The Sabbath-school connected with this Society will be held every Sabbath afternoon at 3 o'clock.  We give a cordial invitation to all to attend these free services."

Source:  UNION GOSPEL SERVICES [Advertisement], The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Jun. 21, 1878, Vol. IX, No. 457, p. 3, col. 1.  

Map of Pelhamville Published in 1868. Source:

Beers, F.W., Atlas of New York and Vicinity from

Actual Surveys By and Under the Direction of

F.W. Beers, Assisted By A.B. Prindle & Others, pg.

36 (NY, NY: Beers, Ellis & Soule, 1868) (Detail from

Page 36 Map Entitled "Town of New Rochelle,

Westchester Co., N.Y. (With) Pelhamville).

NOTE:  Click on Link to Enlarge.

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.

Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.

Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

The Home at 45 Maple in Chester Park Built to Serve as a Church

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.

Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.

Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

There is a curious but lovely stone home that stands at 45 Maple Avenue in Chester Park in the Village of Pelham.  Though flat-roofed, it has stunning pointed-arch windows reminiscent of a church.  They are reminiscent of a church because the building originally was built to serve as a church.  Indeed, the structure served as a church for a very short time.  Today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog will provide a little history about the church building that eventually was converted into this beautiful home.

Home at 45 Maple Avenue in Chester Park, Showing

the Stonework and the Pointed-Arch Windows.

Photograph Taken in 2003 by the Author.  Note:

Click on Image to Enlarge.

Home at 45 Maple Avenue in Chester Park from

a Different Angle.  The Facade Depicted in the

First Photograph Above May Be Seenn on the

Far Right Side in this Photograph Taken in

2003 by the Author.  NOTE:  Click Image to Enlarge.

More Recent Google Maps "Street View" Image of the Home

at 45 Maple Avenue in Chester Park, Showing Home in

May, 2012.  NOTE:  Click Image to Enlarge. 

Early History of the Church of the Covenant, Congregational in Pelhamville

There once stood in Pelhamville a beautiful little church known officially as the "Church of the Covenant, Congregational."  The Church evolved out of "The Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville" (also known as "The Union Sunday School") founded in 1875.  The church itself was organized in 1888.  Informally, the Church of the Covenant, Congregational was known as both the Church of the Covenant and the Congregational Church.  I have written extensively about the little Church of the Covenant, Congregational.  See, e.g.:

Tue., Jan. 20, 2015:  The Precise Location of the Congregational Church as Shown on a Map Published in 1908.

Wed., Nov. 19, 2014:  Rare Early Image of the Congregational Church of North Pelham in the Early 20th Century.

Tue., May 6, 2014:  More on the History of the Congregational Church of North Pelham.

Fri., Apr. 18, 2014:  The Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville.

Fri., Feb. 28, 2014:  Brief History of the Role Churches Played in the Growth of the Pelhams Published in 1926.

Mon., Sep. 21, 2009:  January 1882 Account of the 1881 Christmas Festival Held at the Union Sabbath School in Pelhamville. 

Mon., Aug. 24, 2009:  1878 Advertisement for Services of The Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville.

Tue., Mar. 7, 2006:  The Church of the Covenant of Pelhamville Organized in 1888.

During the Autumn of 1888, twenty-two local residents organized what first was called the "Church of the Covenant of Pelhamville".  Members of the congregation claimed that the church was the first Congregational Church organized in Westchester County, New York.  

The church was a "direct outgrowth" of the Union Sunday School Society organized on August 29, 1875.  The first pastor to serve was the Rev. Henry Randall Waite, a member of the Pelham Manor Protective Club. 

In 1880, the Union Sunday School Society built a tiny frame chapel on Second Avenue between Third and Fourth Streets. An image of a post card depicting that chapel appears immediately below.

Obverse of Undated Real Photo Post Card (RPP) Showing

"CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. NO. PELHAM, N.Y." Circa 1910.

Source: eBay Auction Listing for the Post Card.

As the post card above demonstrates, the tiny little clapboard structure was a country chapel surrounded by a white picket fence. 

By 1910, the tiny little church was in need of repair and was no longer large enough to serve the congregation.  In connection with a "reorganization" of the church and its affiliated societies, on October 26, 1910 a new pastor, Rev. C. Conal Mackay, was called to the pastorate.  Three weeks later, on November 16, 1910, the congregation authorized the construction of a new church building at a new location:  Lot 34 on the corner of Maple Avenue and Central Avenue in Chester Park, Village of North Pelham.  The site for the new church building was selected by a committee consisting of the new pastor,  D. D. Meinecke, George F. Meinecke, and Rev. Chas Shelton of the Home Missionary Society of New York State.

Rev. Mackay approached the President of the New York, Westchester and Boston Railroad Company and asked for the donation of stones from the construction of the new railroad through Pelham to serve as the stones with which to build the new church.  By 1913, enough stones had been donated by the railroad that plans and specifications for the construction of the new church were prepared.  See Churches in the Town -- Various Denominations, The Pelham Sun, Dec. 20, 1913, p. 3, cols. 1-5.

For several years, the congregation lacked the money to build the small church.  Slowly, however, the money was raised to build a church not quite as grand as originally hoped.  By the spring of 1916, the building was sufficiently complete to permit the first worship service.  On June 21, 1916, the congregation held its first service in the new church building.  

According to a brief history of the church published in 1946, the "congregation worshipped there until 1920, at which time the property was sold and the church disbanded."  Thereafter, the structure was converted to a home and has been used as such since.  Research has not yet revealed any photograph of the structure during the brief four-year period it was used as a church.

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.

Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.

Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

A 1910 Real Estate Puff Piece About "The Pelhams" -- Description of the Attractions of the Three Villages of the Pelhams Published in 1910

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

In 1910, the Town of Pelham and the three Villages within the town were on the cusp of tremendous growth.  The population of the Town was about 2,500.  The New York, Westchester & Boston Railway was about to open a line through North Pelham.  Additionally, that Village was about to construct a new sewer system.  The new development of Pelhamwood was being planned and constructed.  Pelham Manor and Pelham Heights were expanding.  The local trolley system was being expanded.  In short, the entire Town of Pelham was on a trajectory of growth.

Real estate developers were touting the benefits of the area:  its beauty, its convenience, its healthfulness, and the attractiveness of a suburban lifestyle.  In 1910, an extensive real estate puff piece appeared in The Daily Argus published in Mount Vernon.  The article comprises a fascinating snapshot of the three villages and the Town at a moment in time when growth was set to explode.  Thus, today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog transcribes the text of the entire article and provides several of the images that appeared with the article.  

"THE MANY ATTRACTIONS OF THE THREE VILLAGES AND THE TOWN OF PELHAM.
-----

North Pelham, Feb. 9.--The town of Pelham, which includes the three villages of North Pelham, Pelham and Pelham Manor, familiarly known as 'The Pelhams,' constitutes another one of those delightful suburban residential sections of Westchester county.  It has a population of about 2,500, and is located half way between the cities of Mount Vernon and New Rochelle on the main line of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad.  The extreme easterly section of the town, comprising the village of Pelham Manor, overlooks Long Island Sound.  [Through] this village also runs the Harlem River division of the New Haven railroad system.  

Beautifully situated as it is with attractive streets, fine residences, excellent railroad and trolley facilities, a modern school system and well protected by up-to-date police and fire departments, Pelham offers every inducement to the commuter to locate in this part of the county, away from the bustle and dust of the city.

As one leaves the train at the North Pelham station, he will noticeto the right the attractive residential section of Pelham Heights, where the houses are half hidden from view by beautiful shade trees and are constructed for the most part on eminences of rock.

Directly opposite Pelham Heights he will see North Pelham and its recently developed section, which has been converted into a park, and where it is said some fifty new houses will be erected the coming year.

The three villages are a credit to the county.  North Pelham is populated for the most part by commuters, as are Pelham Heights and Pelham Manor.  The houses are not as costly in their construction as are those of the other two villages, but they are well built and attractive in appearance.  New residences are continually being built.  North Pelham is growing rapidly.  

The Lyceum, North Pelham.

Unlike the other two villages with the exception of a part of Pelham, the village of North Pelham contains a main business thoroughfare.  On this street are the Lyman block, near the passenger station; the new town hall, which has just been completed, and the new fire headquarters, and several brick buildings and apartment houses.

One of the pretty residential sections of the village of North Pelham is Chester Park, which has witnessed during the past few years much development.

From a real estate standpoint, the important features for the village of North Pelham the past year were the construction of and completion of the new town hall, which is a concrete building with attractive architectural features, and the completion of the Pelham club house and Masonic hall, the dedication of which took place last November.  Several new houses have been erected in the village.  

North Pelham has two lodges, one of which is Winyah Lodge of Masons, while the other is an order of Red Men, instituted a few months ago.

The village of Pelham contains that restricted and beautiful residential section known as Pelham Heights, which is also rapidly growing.  A writer describes the place as follows:  'Pelham Heights grew not with a boom, but with the right kind of houses and residents.  Before a plot was offered for sale, a complete sewerage system was constructed, with trunk line sewer to tide water.  A separate drainage system was also provided.  Streets and avenues were macadamized; gas, water and electric light were introduced.  The unprecedented situation thus created, a village with every improvement but free from debt, soon attracted the attention of adjoining localities.  In the Mount Vernon papers editorials appeared advocating annexation and the mayor of the city recommended annexation in official communications to the board of aldermen.  Pelham Manor sought also to include Pelham Heights within its boundaries.  Pelham Heights has now a population of some 500 or more.  Restrictions apply not only to the building lots, but also to the streets and avenues in Pelham constructed by Mr. Fairchild's company, the Pelham Heights company, have been dedicated to the billage as parkways with restrictions forbidding nuisances.  These restrictions are perpetual and the right to enforce them belongs to every abutting property owner.

The other village in the town is that of Pelham Manor.  This, too, is a residential municipality.  The residences are possibly a little more pretentious than those in the Heights, as the plots are much larger.  The streets are wider and in some places are boulevards.  The two most important streets are the Pelhamdale avenue and the Esplanade, along which there are many beautiful residences.  Pelham Manor has a well constructed village hall, which houses the street, fire and police departments and contains offices for the village officials.

Public School No. 1, North Pelham.

The town of Pelham has a number of social organizations and clubs.  The most important in the village of North Pelham are the Pelham club, which owns its buildings and holds every year many important social functions.  Then there are smaller clubs in the village, such as the Tuesday club and the Mezercon Social Club, organizations composed of ladies.

In Pelham Manor one finds the Pelham Manor golf club, which occupies a fine club house and has tennis courts and a golf course; the Pelman Manor club, which owns and occupies a pretty house on the Esplanade.  The New York Athletic Club, of course, has its buildings and grounds in the town of Pelham, in the village of Pelham Manor, just off the Shore Road.

There are five churches in the town of Pelham, as follows:  North Pelham -- Church of the Covenant, Congregational, Rev. Wayland Spaulding, pastor; Church of the Redeemer, Episcopal, REv. H. H. Brown, rector; St. Catherine's church, Catholic, Rev. Francis McNichol, pastor.  Pelham Manor -- Huguenot Presbyterian church, Rev. Lewis Gaston Leary, Ph. D., pastor; Christ Episcopal church,, Rev. A. F. Tenney, rector.  These churches are all well constructed buildings and attractive in their architectural effects.

There are two fire departments in the town.  One is that of the first fire district, which protects property in the villages of North Pelham and Pelham.  This department has three excellent pieces of apparatus, as follows:  A well equipped hose wagon; a modern engine and up-to-date truck.  A team of horses has recently been purchased by the fire commissioners of the first, fire district for the department.  The department is housed in its own building on Fifth avenue, between Third and Fourth streets.  The two companies are the Liberty Hose and Engine Company and the Relief Hook and Ladder Company.  The fire commissioners of the district are President Paul A. Heubner and Commissioners Michael J. Woods, former president of the board, Philip Godfrey, Frank Chalou and George Boldin.

The other department is in Pelham Manor.  The firemen there are wealthy commuters, but they are never afraid to turn out.  They have only a hose reel and truck.  The chief of the department is Village President W. P. Brown.

The town of Pelham is alternately Democratic and Republican in politics.  It has witnessed many 'hot' elections, and there have been many political upheavals in the town.  The board is now tied, the supervisor, Edgar C. Beecroft, who was re-elected last November, the town clerk and one justice of the peace being Democratic, while there are still three Republican justices of the peace in the board, two holdovers, Judges Kilvert and Karbach, and one elected, Wolcott Robbins.  The Democratic judge is J. F. Curnen, who was also elected last November.  

Congregational Church, North Pelham.

Politics does not play an important part in the life of the citizens of either Pelham or Pelham Manor in village matters.  Both parties agree on a ticket and the spring elections are as a rule a mere formality.  there have been ties at the election in Pelham when not more than 30 votes will be cast out of many more times that number of voters.  Last year, however, two tickets were in the field and there was a contest, but it was not along political lines.  The same conditions exist in Pelham Manor, and sometimes there is a contest there.

But the situation is far different in North Pelham.  That village may be justly called the hot-bed of politics in the town of Pelham.  Each spring there is always an exciting election, and this year there is every indication that there will be more excitement than ever.  The aggressive president of North Pelham is James Reilly, who has been elected twice on an Independent ticket, once against the combined tickets of the Republican and Democratic parties, and twice on the Republican ticket.  The trustees are David Lyon and Maus [sic].  The president of Pelham is S. N. White, and the chief executive of Pelham Manor is W. P. Brown, and the trustee is Lewis Francis.

The town of Pelham has just become a part of the postal system of the city of New York, and hereafter the two offices in Pelham Manor and North Pelham will be branches of the New York postoffice.  It is not known as yet how many carriers there will be in the town.  

The railroad and trolley facilities are up-to-date.  The Webster avenue trolley line connects the North Pelham line with New Rochelle directly; the North Pelham line connects with the city of Mount Vernon and all points south; the Pelham Manor cars connect with the New Rochelle line, which is operated through the village of Pelham Manor by the way of Pelhamdale avenue.  The main line of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad passes through the town, the main station being located in North Pelham, while the Harlem River road goes through Pelham Manor.  A passenger station was recently completed there with subways and every modern convenience.  

There is but one important industry in the town of Pelham, and that is located in the village of North Pelham.  It is the Sanborne Map Co.  It employs several hundred persons and has a finely equipped plant at the extreme end of Fifth avenue, being located in modern concrete buildings, which were completed only three years ago.  A new industry, the Westchester County Brewing and Ice Company, is now being built.  

The future of the town from a real estate standpoint is most encouraging and promising.  Greaat developments are expected, and it is believed that during the next five years many fine residences will be erected.  The village of North Pelham is about to begin the construction of its sewer system, the completion of which will mean much for the growth of the village.

The New York, Westchester and Boston Railway extends through the villages of North Pelham, and the building of this line will also be the means of developing the villages and will increase the facilities for travel."

Source:  THE MANY ATTRACTIONS OF THE THREE VILLAGES AND THE TOWN OF PELHAM, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Feb. 9, 1910, p. 11, cols. 1-5.  

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.

Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.

Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

The Precise Location of the Congregational Church as Shown on a Map Published in 1908

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

A tiny, but beautiful white wood clapboard-sided country church once stood on Second Avenue between third street and fourth street (now Lincoln Avenue).  It was known as the Congregational Church of North Pelham and was organized by a group known as the Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville.  It had a knee-high white-picket fence surrounding it, and evoked a simpler rural time when much of the Village of North Pelham (once known as Pelhamville) was entirely undeveloped.

I have written several times about the tiny little church.  See:

Wed., Nov. 19, 2014:  Rare Early Image of the Congregational Church of North Pelham in the Early 20th Century.

Tue., May 06, 2014:  More on the History of the Congregational Church of North Pelham.

Fri., Apr. 18, 2014:  The Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville. 

Fri., Feb. 28, 2014:  Brief History of the Role Churches Played in the Growth of the Pelhams Published in 1926. 

Mon., Sep. 21, 2009:  January 1882 Account of the 1881 Christmas Festival Held at the Union Sabbath School in Pelhamville. 

Mon., Aug. 24, 2009:  1878 Advertisement for Services of The Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville. 

Obverse of Undated Real Photo Post Card (RPP) Showing

"CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. NO. PELHAM, N.Y." Circa 1910.

Source: Recent eBay Auction Listing for the Post Card.

It was so wonderful to see yesterday that a civilized and enjoyable debate erupted on the "Remembering North Pelham" Facebook page addressing the question of precisely where the Congregational Church.  The area, as one might expect, is so different today that it is virtually impossible to tell where the church was located from looking at the entirely altered terrain.  

Today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog uses the hard-to-find 1908 Fairchild Atlas of Mount Vernon and Pelham to locate the church precisely.  There are two editions of the Fairchild Atlas.  The first was published in 1899.  The second was published in 1908.  They are very, very rare.  About a decade ago I was able to locate both from a Pennsylvania rare books dealer and bought copies that I have used for years.  Recently, however . . . . . . . . .

The New York Public Library Digital Collections have added high resolution images of the maps from the 1899 Fairchild Atlas and the 1908 Fairchild Atlas that can be magnified to a very high level.  See:

Fairchild, John F., Atlas of the City of Mount of Vernon and the Town of Pelham. Compiled from Official Records, Personal Surveys and Other Private Plans and Surveys. 1899. Compiled and published by John F. Fairchild. Civil Engineer and Surveyor. Rooms, 10-11 Bank Buliding, Mount Vernon, N.Y. (1899) (Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library). 

Fairchild, John F., Atlas of the City of Mount Vernon and the Town of Pelham Second Edition. Compiled from Official Records, Personal Surveys, and Other Private Plans and Surveys. 1908. Compiled and Published John F. Fairchild. C.E. Civil Engineer and Surveyor Engineering Building Mount Vernon, N.Y. (1908) (Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library).

NOTE:  In every instance when using these resources, it is critically important to consider the following as you are scrolling through the pages of the Atlas.  If you find a map that you wish to enlarge much larger than the book view permits you to enlarge, you find the tiny link above the book view to the map in the Atlas in which you are interested.  Once you click on that link, you can magnify the map page to a massive level.  When you are simply in the book view (but not the page view that is accessed by clicking on the link above the pages you see in the book view), you can only magnify the image slightly -- typically not to the extent necessary.

Below are two details from plate 27 of the 1908 Fairchild Atlas.  The first shows much of the plate.  In the upper left corner is the block on which the Congregational Church stood -- the block between First and Second Avenues bounded by Third Street and Fourth Street (today's Lincoln Avenue).  The second shows a magnified detail from the same plate (Plate 27) showing the block in question.

Detail from Plate 27 Showing Block on Which

the Congregational Church Stood at Upper

Left of the Street Grid.  Source:  See Citation Above.

NOTE:  Click Image to Enlarge.

Magnified Detail of the Same Map Showing the Block on Which

the Congregational Church Stood in 1908.  Source:  See Citation

Above.  NOTE:  Click Image to Enlarge.

As the magnified detail immediately above shows, the Congregational Church stood on a lot that extended through the entire block with frontage on both Second Avenue and First Avenue.  The church building, however faced Second Avenue and stood only a few feet away from the street.  The church lot was about halfway between Third Street and Fourth Street (today's Lincoln Avenue).  The church lot had 50 feet of frontage on Second Avenue and fifty feet of frontage on First Avenue.  The length of the lot was 309 feet (a combination of two lots, one of which was 155 feet long and the other 154 feet).  In 1908, about the time of the real post card image of the church shown above, the lots on both sides of the church when facing it from Second Avenue were empty.  The southerly lot of the two lots adjacent to the rear half of the church property was empty.  Two adjoining small structures (perhaps sheds) were on the northerly lot adjacent to the rear half of the church property.  They belonged at the time to C. W. Russell.  

Interestingly, directly across First Avenue from the rear of the church lot were the ice houses of the American Ice Company which was one of the local business that harvested "natural ice" from the Pelham Reservoir, the very tip of which can be seen at the bottom of the magnified map detail near the ice houses.

When a current satellite image of the same block is juxtaposed adjacent to the magnified map detail above, one can get a much better sense of how much the area has changed in the last 106 years.  Although I have made no meaningful effort to research the issue or survey the area, it would seem that none of the structures that were standing in 1908 on the block in question are standing on the block today.  

Google Maps Satellite Image of Block in Question

Juxtaposed Adjacent to Magnified Detail from Plate

27 of 1908 Fairchild Map of the Same Block.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

In short, although one would be hard-pressed to find any evidence today, the Congregational Church stood about halfway up the block on Second Avenue between Third Street and Fourth Street (today's Lincoln Avenue).  According to Plate 27 of the 1908 Fairchild Atlas, the church building was approximately 160 feet north of the northern edge of Third Street, and about fifteen or twenty feet westward from the western edge of Second Avenue.  

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

Rare Early Image of the Congregational Church of North Pelham in the Early 20th Century

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

I have written on a number of occasions about the history of the Congregational Church of North Pelham that was organized by a group known as the Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville. For examples, see: 

Tue., May 06, 2014:  More on the History of the Congregational Church of North Pelham.

Fri., Apr. 18, 2014:  The Union Sabbath School of Pelhamville. 

Fri., Feb. 28, 2014:  Brief History of the Role Churches Played in the Growth of the Pelhams Published in 1926. 

Mon., Sep. 21, 2009:  January 1882 Account of the 1881 Christmas Festival Held at the Union Sabbath School in Pelhamville. 

Mon., Aug. 24, 2009:  1878 Advertisement for Services of The Union Sabbath School Society of Pelhamville. 

The Congregational Church of North Pelham was so important in the early history of the Village that a brief history of the Church appeared on the first page of the very first issue of The Pelham Sun (Vol. I, No. 1) published on April 10, 1910.

Recently there appeared an eBay auction listing for a so-called "Real Photo Post Card" (RPP) containing a rare image of the Congregational Church of North Pelham.  Images of the obverse and the reverse of the post card appear below.

The tiny little church was located on Second Avenue between third and fourth streets in the Village of North Pelham.  The history of the church was stormy and, late in its brief life, there were threats to split the congregation and build another structure just over the border in New Rochelle for those who wished to split off from the church.

The simple church building, shown immediately below, evokes a rural era in the history of Pelham.  

Obverse of Undated Real Photo Post Card (RPP) Showing

"CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.  NO. PELHAM, N.Y." Circa 1910.

Source:  Recent eBay Auction Listing for the Post Card.

Reverse of Undated Real Photo Post Card (RPP) Showing

"CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.  NO. PELHAM, N.Y." Circa 1910.

Source:  Recent eBay Auction Listing for the Post Card.

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."