| The (Former) West Presbyterian Church | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| Town or city | 31 West 42nd Street, New York, New York |
| Country | United States of America |
| Construction started | 1860 |
| Completed | 1865 |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Masonry |
| Design and construction | |
| Client | The Presbytery of New York |
West Presbyterian Church was a former Presbyterian church located at 31 West 42nd Street. Founded 1829 as North Presbyterian Church (New York City), "Within a few years [in the late 1830s] it changed its name to West Presbyterian Church."[1] "In 1860, following the northward movement of Manhattan’s population, [the congregation] was relocated [from Greenwich Village]...and soon built a Victorian Gothic-style edifice.... West Presbyterian counted a number of distinguished citizens among its membership, including Russell Sage, Jay Gould, and Alfred H. Smith, and by 1890 had become known as the millionaires’ gate to heaven. By the early twentieth century, commercialization of its midtown location led to the displacement of the area’s residential population and the loss of many of West Presbyterian’s members, including the prominent men mentioned above after an internal dispute. As a consequence, [West and Park Presbyterian] began competing for members and decided to merge their memberships, forming the West-Park Presbyterian Church (New York City)." "The deal between the two organizations included the construction of a new church in Washington Heights at 175th Street and Wadsworth Avenue, called the Fort Washington Presbyterian Church (New York City), which remained affiliated with West Park until 1923."[1]