Our History

Second Congregational Church of Greenwich was founded in 1705 when people living on the west side of the Mianus River decided to ease their transportation difficulties by establishing their own church. The first house of worship was 32 by 26 feet and cost $1,500. Over the years, it was replaced with larger wooden buildings and, in 1856-58, the magnificent building and unmistakable steeple that has become our "trademark" around town was erected at a cost of $46,300.

In the mid-1800's, many argued the new building was too ostentatious for a Congregational church. Others argued, more successfully, that a greater focus on the physical plant was necessary to be competitive with other denominations, both in architectural appeal and convenience and in desirability of location.

Some of the especially notable tidbits in our history include:

• George Washington visiting our hill in 1781 (a plaque on the front of our building commemorates his visit).
• Women being allowed to vote at church meetings as early as 1870.
• A letter from Thomas Edison (now stored in our archives), who had suggestions for protecting our 212-foot steeple from lightning strikes. The steeple was rebuilt stone-by-stone in 1919 and restored again in 1997.

Our congregation has also had a significant impact on Greenwich organizations, helping to launch the Greenwich Academy, the Mead School and Heartcare International, to name just a few.

We are very proud of the long and considerable history of our community, a history that has formed and shaped the faith that we live out today.