LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 300th Anniversary of the
Reformed Dutch Church of Claverack on May 22, 2016

WHEREAS, Religious institutions, and the many spiritual, social and
educational benefits they confer, play a vital role in the development
of the moral fabric of a responsible citizenry; and
WHEREAS, It is the tradition of this State and Nation to pay tribute
to those institutions and individuals who have contributed to the
ethical and spiritual values of their communities; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the
300th Anniversary of the Reformed Dutch Church of Claverack on Sunday,
May 22, 2016; and
WHEREAS, The Reformed Dutch Church of Claverack, among the first Dutch
Reformed Churches organized in the Hudson Valley, began in 1716, as one
preaching station on a circuit that ranged from Claverack Landing on the
Hudson River, now the city of Hudson, to Hillsdale; and
WHEREAS, In 1727, the first church was built near what is today the
First Columbia County Courthouse; Palatine German settlers in the region
began to swell the congregation's ranks, and within four decades a new
church was needed; and
WHEREAS, Stephen van Rensselaer deeded the current parcel to the
church in February 1767; by November of that year a local builder named
Solomon Strong had completed the church and it was dedicated for use;
and
WHEREAS, The original church was a much smaller building, only
consisting of the southernmost 30 feet of the present structure without
the projecting front gable or tower; a receipt in church records
suggests there was a small wooden steeple and bell; and
WHEREAS, Within a decade of the new church's construction, the congre-
gation was blessed with its most influential pastor; at the beginning of
the Revolution, John Gabriel Gebhard had fled first New York City, then
Kingston following the British burning of the city in October 1777; he
took refuge in Claverack and became the church's pastor; and
WHEREAS, With the war still on, Pastor Gebhard initiated the founding
and construction of Washington Seminary on the property to the south of
the church in 1779; it later became known as Claverack College, educat-
ing Martin van Buren, Stephen Crane and Margaret Sanger before closing
in 1902, by which time it was known as Hudson River Institute; and
WHEREAS, In 1816, the church began to once again grow; expansions over
the next decade added the present north section and wings onto the old
church, with exits to the cemetery at the rear; inside, the balconies,
choir loft and iron columns were added; the pews were rearranged into
their present layout; and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, in 1828, the bell tower was added in memory of
John Gabriel Gebhard, who had died the previous year after 50 years as
pastor; and
WHEREAS, In the next decade, the church's musical needs were attended
to, and the first organ was installed in 1867; after the closure of
Claverack College in 1902, its bell was installed at the foot of the
church's driveway; and
WHEREAS, In 1967, the church erected another building on the property,
the Christian Education Center; an architecturally sympathetic building
just to the southeast of the main church, it is used for the church
offices and many activities, such as Sunday school and meetings; and
WHEREAS, A new organ was dedicated in the church in April of 2000, and
since that date, no changes have been made to the property; and

WHEREAS, The Reformed Dutch Church of Claverack was placed on the
National Register of Historic Places in 2001; and
WHEREAS, Today, the Reformed Dutch Church of Claverack has roughly 200
members, and is part of the Columbia-Greene Synod of the Reformed Church
in America's Albany Classis; a monthly newsletter, THE FISHERMAN, keeps
congregants informed; and
WHEREAS, In addition to Sunday services and school, the Reformed Dutch
Church of Claverack offers Bible study for adults, confirmation classes
and a youth group; it is a sponsoring church of Camp Fowler, a Christian
summer camp in the southern Adirondacks, and hosts local meetings of
community groups such as the Boy and Girl Scouts as well as Alcoholics
Anonymous; and
WHEREAS, A true asset to the community, the Reformed Dutch Church of
Claverack supports several prominent regional charities, including Habi-
tat for Humanity, the Salvation Army and the AIDS Council of Northeast-
ern New York; it has also sponsored Reformed Church missionaries in
Albania, Taiwan and Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to take note of
enduring religious institutions and to bring such institutions to the
attention of the people of this Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 300th Anniversary of the Reformed Dutch Church of Clav-
erack on May 22, 2016; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Reformed Dutch Church of Claverack.