Brewster Presbyterian Church

The first church in what is now Putnam County, New York was gathered by the Rev. Elisha Kent, who came from Newtown, Connecticut Colony. The earliest known meeting of the "Church of Christ on Philipse's Patent" occurred on September 11, 1743. In 1793 the congregation constructed its third meeting house, now known as Old Southeast Church, a national landmark on the east side of Route 22, about three miles north of the village.

In 1830 the church called Robert B. E. McLeod to its pulpit. By the early 1850s, populations had shifted and most members now lived south of the church. Rev. McLeod's health was failing and services were being held irregularly. The church building was in need of repairs, and a movement was begun to move the church closer to the majority of the congregation.

In 1853, 26 members sent a petition to the Presbytery of Bedford seeking to organize a new church at South East Center. Efforts by the Presbytery to prevent a division of the old church at Southeast failed, and on June 14, 1853 the Central Presbyterian Society of Southeast was organized. Services were held in the Temperance Hall at Sodom until the church building across the street was dedicated on June 28, 1854.

With the coming of the railroad populations again shifted, this time west. In 1882 the congregation voted to move to the village of Brewster. Property was purchased on Main St. and on Oct. 3, 1882 the cornerstone of our present house of worship was laid. The first service was held on June 29, 1884, and the church was dedicated and incorporated in 1886. In 1922 the church was renamed as the Brewster Presbyterian Church.

In 1961, the Old Southeast Church congregation disbanded, leaving this congregation to continue over 260 years of a living tradition of Presbyterian faith, worship and life.