{"id":3294,"date":"2026-07-27T16:44:48","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T20:44:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/patersonhistory.com\/?page_id=3294"},"modified":"2026-07-27T16:48:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T20:48:09","slug":"first-presbyterian-church-of-paterson-1813","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/patersonhistory.com\/index.php\/first-presbyterian-church-of-paterson-1813\/","title":{"rendered":"First Presbyterian Church of Paterson (1813)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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320 Main Street<\/p>\n

The First Presbyterian Church of Paterson<\/span><\/span><\/span> is one of Paterson’s oldest and most historically significant religious institutions. Although the congregation was organized in 1813<\/strong>, the present church building dates from 1852<\/strong>, making it the oldest church building still in continuous religious use in the City of Paterson.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Founding<\/h3>\n

The congregation was organized on July 15, 1813<\/strong>, when Paterson was a rapidly growing industrial village. Before that time, local Presbyterians generally worshipped at the Old Dutch Church of Totowa, established in the eighteenth century. The formation of the First Presbyterian Church reflected the city’s expanding population and the influence of prominent local families.<\/p>\n

The Colt Family<\/h3>\n

The church was closely associated with the influential Colt family<\/strong>, among the founders of Paterson’s manufacturing economy.<\/p>\n