National Register of Historic Places

South Bushwick Reformed Protestant Dutch Church Complex

New York, Kings County, New York
Listed
November 4, 1982
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82001182

About this property

South Bushwick Reformed Church, also known as the "White Church", was a historic Dutch Reformed church in Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 as the South Bushwick Reformed Protestant Dutch Church Complex, the complex consists of the church and attached Sunday School building. The original church building, dating from 1853, burned down in 2026 and is planned to be rebuilt. The church was organized in 1851 by members of the Bushwick Reformed Church that dates back to 1654. Himrod St. was named after South Bushwick's first pastor. The church was a two-story frame, clapboard-sided building finished in 1853. Its design combined Greek Revival and Gibbsian classical styles. The Greek Revival entrance portico featured two giant fluted Ionic order columns. Above the entrance portico was the tower with a square base and octagonal lantern and spire. The Rev. Samuel Merrill Woodbridge (1819–1905), a Reformed pastor, and later author and theology professor, served this congregation from 1841 to 1849 after receiving his degree from New Brunswick Theological Seminary. In the early afternoon of June 19, 2026, the church building caught fire in what became a three-alarm fire that caused extensive damage, including causing the steeple to collapse. Due to the extensive fire damage, the entire building is expected to be demolished. In June 2026, South Bushwick Reformed Church officials and local elected officials, including Rev. Dr. James E. Steward II and Council member Sandy Nurse, pledged to rebuild the church. Nurse said: "We've done so much over the past four years to make sure that this church can survive for another 100 years; to see this happen is so tragic". As of July 2026, the Fire Department of New York was investigating the fire as an arson. National Register of Historic Places listings in Kings County, New York

Location

855-857 Bushwick Ave.
New York, Kings County, New York
40.69426, -73.92575

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

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Lewis Avenue Congregational Church
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Nearby Battles

Battle of Long Island/Brooklyn Heights Aug 27 1776
1776Revolutionary War
1.9 mi
Battle of Long Island — Flanking at Jamaica Pass
1776Revolutionary War
2.1 mi
Battle of Long Island — Gowanus Heights
1776Revolutionary War
2.7 mi
Battle of Long Island (Brooklyn Heights)
1776Revolutionary War
3.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was South Bushwick Reformed Protestant Dutch Church Complex listed on the National Register?

South Bushwick Reformed Protestant Dutch Church Complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 4, 1982.

What type of historic resource is South Bushwick Reformed Protestant Dutch Church Complex?

South Bushwick Reformed Protestant Dutch Church Complex is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for South Bushwick Reformed Protestant Dutch Church Complex?

The period of significance for South Bushwick Reformed Protestant Dutch Church Complex is recorded as the industrial era.

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