Monday, January 6, 2025
From the 'Turnback Tuesday' archives: Second Congregational Church
This week's "Turnback Tuesday" photo features The Birmingham Congregational Church, daughter of the First Congregational Church of Derby, which was organized Feb. 25, 1846.
It is now known as the Second Congregational Church, located on Elizabeth Street across from the Derby Green.
The land for the church was donated by Anson G. Phelps and can only be used for church purposes. The Second Congregational Church was built in the traditional New England Greek Revival style. Its simple, strong proportions and well-designed classical features are characteristic of its building type, while its Colonial Revival/Federal Revival, early-20th century-added, Adamesque trim makes it a good example, as well, of the Colonial Revival movement.
The top of the steeple was damaged by Hurricane Gloria in 1985 and has not been replaced. This photograph was taken in the late 1930s.
[This was originally posted on Jan. 4, 2016. A new steeple was installed on June 26, 2021.]
Thanks goes to the Derby Neck Library staff for sharing interesting local history each week.