OUR HISTORY

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.