Senate Resolution No. 2070

BY: Senator HELMING

COMMEMORATING the 175th Anniversary of the Alton
Cobblestone Community Church

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commemorate the important milestones of historic institutions within the
State of New York, and in doing so, help to ensure that the complete
history of our State and Nation is preserved and shared with present
generations of citizens; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 175th Anniversary of the Alton Cobblestone Community
Church; and

WHEREAS, The Christian Church of Alton was organized in 1842 and
incorporated in 1851, the same year its distinctive cobblestone church
building was completed by builder William Walker whose craftsmanship
helped create one of Wayne County's most treasured historic landmarks;
and

WHEREAS, Constructed in the Greek Revival style, the church stands
as a tribute to the skilled cobblestone masons and immigrant laborers
who gathered stones from the shores of Lake Ontario at Sodus Point and
transported them by horse and oxen more than five miles to the church
site where they were carefully sorted and laid by hand; and

WHEREAS, The church steeple and belfry, designed in the Romanesque
style and housing a bell cast by the Clinton H. Meneely Bell Company in
1892, were added later and continue to serve as defining features of the
church; and

WHEREAS, Throughout its long and distinguished history, the Alton
Cobblestone Community Church has remained an important center of
worship, fellowship, and community life in Wayne County, including
hosting the 9th Annual Convention of the Wayne County Women's Suffrage
Group on June 17, 1910; and

WHEREAS, Protestant Methodists began renting the church in 1869 and
purchased the building in 1883; later, the congregation became part of
the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1939, the United Methodist Church in
1968, and an independent congregation known as the Alton Cobblestone
Community Church in 2024; and

WHEREAS, Through the years, the church has undergone numerous
renovations and improvements, including sanctuary and kitchen
beautification projects, vestibule enhancements designed by architect
Carl F. Schmidt, and ongoing preservation efforts carried out by devoted
members of the congregation and community volunteers; and

WHEREAS, The Alton Cobblestone Community Church has also benefited
from the generosity and dedication of faithful stewards across
generations, including land donations by Edward C. Burns in 1956 and

1973 and the preservation of its historic bell mechanism through the
skilled craftsmanship of a church member in 2009; and

WHEREAS, In 1951, the congregation celebrated the church's
centennial with an elaborate observance, and in 2001, they commemorated
its 150th Anniversary with numerous community events honoring the
church's rich heritage and enduring legacy; and

WHEREAS, Today, affectionately known as the "Little Stone Church on
the Hill," the Alton Cobblestone Community Church continues to welcome
all who enter its doors while preserving the traditions, faith, and
sense of community that have defined it for generations; now, therefore,
be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 175th Anniversary of the Alton Cobblestone Community
Church; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted
to the Alton Cobblestone Community Church in Alton, New York.