First Presbyterian Church of Albany: 250 Years

To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the First Presbyterian Church of Albany, the Albany Institute and the First Presbyterian Church have organized this exhibition consisting of thirty objects, including portraits, rare documents, prints and photographs, as well as the rare 1790 Church Penny.

The congregation of the First Presbyterian Church donated to the Albany Institute the Church Penny and a hand-written subscription document signed by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and other important leaders of New York. The document contains names of individuals who helped fund the construction of the second ediface, built in 1795 on the corner of Beaver and Pearl Streets.

From its origins during the French and Indian War, as a place of worship for the growing numbers of Scots-Irish immigrants to the present and its food pantry and annual Equinox Thanksgiving Dinner, First Presbyterian Church has played a prominent role in the community and the history of the community, the state, and the nation.