Photo Essay: The Churches of Ossining

One of the neat things about the old river towns like Ossining is the pre war architecture, the likes of which we’ll never see replicated. Nothing demonstrates that more than the churches in the village, many of which are located downtown off Main Street on South Highland Avenue. It is a menagerie of steeples as you drive through. Many of the churches deserve their own postings, which I’ll do in the future. Here are a few highlights. 

Ossining Gospel Assembly is actually up Croton Avenue about a mile from downtown, but the impressive stone structure should be included. 

Trinity Episcopal is a beautiful Gothic building with a courtyard between the church and parish hall. 

First Baptist is at the corner of Main and South Highland. It dates, as I recall, from the Civil War era, and may be the oldest church downtown. There is often a pithy message on their sign. The bell tower framed against a blue sky is impressive. 

First Presbyterian is one of the highest steeples in the village. There are other more impressive angles of sight for the building, but I liked how First Baptist can be seen in background.

The inscription above the First Presbyterian main entrance reads “To The Triune God.” I remember, vividly, how Mrs. Rimm, a family friend, explained what that meant to me when I was about 5. 

Ossining United Methodist has striking stained glass and is the hardest to photograph. I chose the side of the whole building this time around. 

Saint Ann’s Catholic Church on Eastern Avenue. I was baptized, confirmed and married here. On the far right you can see the top of Trinity Episcopal. 

Saint Augustine’s had a gorgeous old building on North Highland Avenue for many years which was razed when the road was widened. They built this building in the mid 1980’s on the old Campus of Mary Immaculate Girls High School, which closed in 1976. The view of the Hudson is breathtaking. The whole campus is gorgeous and worthy of another posting. 

Ironic, isn’t it, that a town with Maryknoll Mission and such beautiful churches is also home to one of the most infamous prisons in the country-Sing Sing! 

Perhaps next Sunday I’ll pick one of the churches and do it justice.