50 Oldest Churches of NYC: First Chinese Presbyterian Church


The First Chinese Presbyterian Church on 61 Henry Street in New York City was built between 1817-19. The land for the church was donated by Revolutionary War patriot, Colonial Henry Rutgers. It first opened it’s doors in 1819 as the Market Street Dutch Reformed Church. In 1864, the Dutch Reformed Church disbanded. The church building was then bought by Hanson K. Corning in 1866 and it was transferred to the Trustees of New York Presbytery to be occupied by the Church of Sea and Land which served the seamen community in the area.

In 1868, mission work began within the Chinese community in New York City. On December 18, 1910, the First Chinese Presbyterian Church was incorporated at 223 East 31 Street. In 1951 the church moved to 61 Henry Street, sharing the historic church building with the Sea and Land Church. The Sea and Land Church was dissolved in June of 1972.

The church building has the distinction of being the second oldest in New York City. In 1966 the church building and the 1824 Erben pipe organ were designated as historic landmarks.