Stone
Presbyterian Church, formally Stone Street
Presbyterian Church, was originally known as the Second Presbyterian Church Society,
organized in 1831 out of the need for a second Presbyterian Church in Watertown, New York.
Our first church building, a
small wooden structure, was constructed at the corner of Factory and Mechanic Streets. A
major contributor was Levi S. Beebee, who wielded considerable influence
on the church and on the community. However, in 1883, fire destroyed Mr. Beebee's cotton
mills. The mills were never rebuilt and, as a result, the community and the little Church
suffered a great loss of finances and population.
With another disastrous fire in
Watertown in 1849, the residential section gradually grew away from factory Street.
Instead, businesses and industry expanded there. The Second Presbyterian Church found
itself in an unsuitable location.
 A new Church building was built on Stone Street. Dedicated in 1864,
it was named, appropriately, Stone Street Presbyterian Church. It remained our Church home
until October 1981 when, shortly after our 150th anniversary celebration, it was damaged
extensively by fire.
On May 23, 1982, the
congregation voted to construct a new building. A year later, our present structure on
Chestnut Street was dedicated. The congregation subsequently voted to amend the building's
name to Stone Presbyterian Church. |
