Watertown's First Presbyterian steeple work set to begin Monday

Mar. 26—WATERTOWN — Work is expected to begin Monday on a project to restore the steeple of First Presbyterian Church.

The church, 403 Washington St., is the first house of worship established in Watertown. The base of the sidewalk to the tip of the church steeple measures 300 feet. Weather and age have taken their toll on the steeple, which became apparent in May when some emergency steps were taken after decorative elements tumbled off it.

Those sections were addressed at that time and as a precaution barriers were installed on the ground below the steeple.

The steeple's restoration will begin in earnest on Monday. Lupini Construction, Utica, which performed the emergency work in May, is the contractor for the $2.7 million project. The work will cause some lane restrictions near the church. Closed will be the turning lanes onto Academy Street from Washington Street. Also, a lane on Academy Street parallel to the church will be closed — to about the middle of the church parking lot. That parking lot will be closed but remain open for church employees and officials and steeple workers, said First Presbyterian session member and facility chairman Jonathan White.

White said the project is expected to wrap up around mid-November.

"All the slate will be replaced, the woodwork ventilation will be restored and all the decorative elements will either be replaced with wood or a composite product or repaired," White said.

According to Times' files, a windstorm during the severe winter of 1874-75 blew down the church's original wooden steeple and a new one was constructed by the fall of 1875, creating a city landmark.

"There's definitely a moisture issue between the top of the bell tower and the bottom part of the steeple," White said.

The church that opened in 1821 at the present site was a stone structure. That same year, the church was received into the Presbytery of St. Lawrence. Twenty-eight years later, the great fire of 1849 destroyed much of Watertown's business section, resulting in a building boom in its wake.

Although First Presbyterian was untouched by the fire, it was decided by church officials that the time had come to replace the stone church with a modern church edifice and a stately brick church was built and then dedicated in 1851. The first sermon at the church was on April 13, 1851: the funeral sermon of Orville Hungerford, pioneer of Jefferson County, one of the founders of Jefferson County National Bank, railroad businessman and one-time member of Congress. He died on April 6, 1851.

During the work, an iconic sound that cascades from the steeple will be silenced. For seven days a week, the sound of bells playing a concert of hymns comes from on high at the church, harmoniously spreading across downtown at noon and other times. The music is produced by an electronic carillon and spread via loudspeakers located in the steeple. The system was installed in 1985 and was bought by Donald A. and Genevieve Barbour in memory of James E., their son.

After it broke down in 2005, the carillon was replaced in 2009 by the family of the late Leon W. Quick Jr., who died that year at the age of 94. The Quick family donated $5,000 to the church to buy the carillon, which remains a sound investment, despite the very occasional respite.

In May, the Rev. Andrew P. Long, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, told the Times: "When the construction is happening, the speakers will be removed, just to preserve those."