Marble Collegiate Reformed Church

History and architecture

As its name implies, the material used on the exterior of this Church is marble. This striking edifice, with a tower and spire which resembles that of a New England wooden church, commands a corner site, where it can be advantageously seen from all directions. Though the architect considered it Romanesque in style, he nonetheless used Gothic forms in the details of the building. This church is an architectural creation of outstanding quality and unique in character.

Symmetrical in plan, the central tower is flanked at its base by tall double windows, with octagonal turrets at the angles, terminating in spires with carved finials. The handsome doorway, in the center of the tower, is set in a richly carved recessed arch carried on colonnettes with ornamented capitals. The impressive tower, rising from a square plan, is divided verticaly into four sections, belfry, clock section, lantern and octagonal shaped spire topped by a weathervane. At the angles there are massive, graduated buttresses surmounted by octagonal turrets with pinnacles having neatly moulded cornices and carved finials.

At the eastern end of the church, on each side, an entrance doorway opens into the spacious first floor lobby. The side elevations consist of five attractive round arched windows set between heavy buttresses. at the western extremity a lecture room is flanked by octagonal towers, one at each angle of an imposing gable with cornice and copings, vaunting a pinnacle at the center. A street level arches colonnade connects the church with the Poling Memorial Chapel and Office Building to the west.

The Collegiate Church, founded in 1628, is the oldest Protestant Church in America having a continuous ministry from the date of its establishment. Its succession of Ministers, Elders and Deacons has been unbroken since 1628. Serving the church in common, its ministers are "colleagues". Hence arose its familiar name of Collegiate Church. A plaque on the exterior commemorates its succession to "the Stone Church in the Fort" of 1642. In the church yard the bell from the "North Church" of 1769 has been preserved. The bell bears the inscription "Cast in Amsterdam in 1768."