History

The Cortlandtown Church can look back to the days when Hendrick (Commonly referred to as Henry) Hudson came to this continent in 1614 and discovered the river that bears his name. Dutch settlers soon came to Manhattan. By 1628 Rev. Jonas Michaelius came from the Netherlands to organize a Reformed Church. Thus the Collegiate Church was organized on April 10, 1628, and continues to worship today as the Fort Washington, Marble, Middle, and West End Churches of New York City.

Our own church was first erected on Montrose Point in 1729. It was surrounded by a farm of 172 acres, which was sold in 1837. It burned sometime between 1776 and 1785.

In 1795 a plot of 1-1/2 acres was given to the church, and later 16 acres was given for a cemetery. Upon this site a new church structure was built between 1795 and 1799. It was in continual use until June 7, 1970 when it was judged in need of extensive repairs, and hence demolished. The present building was completed and used for worship on March 28, 1971. The chancel cross and the bell were salvaged from the original structure and used in the present church.

The Reformed Church of Cortlandtown has a long history of which it can be proud. The members remained together as a parish and the church survived through the American Revolution and the United States Civil War, as well as both WWI and WWII. The Church went through numerous depression periods, but the parish remained to carry on many times, even without pastoral leadership.

Today we continue to uphold the Christian Faith according to the Reformed tradition, and look forward to further years of Kingdom service.