HISTORY TOPICS: HOUSES OF WORSHIP
REFORMED CHURCH, STEINWAY
The Reformed Church, Steinway
This church began as a Protestant Union church in 1879 and a small building
was erected on the southeast corner of 20th Road & 41st Street. The building was built
with contributions from persons of all denominations and the last dollar of debt was paid
before dedication which took place on Nov. 30, 1879. The building was soon found to be
too small and a new edifice was put up on the northeast corner of 41st Street & Ditmars
Blvd. in 1891. William Steinway contributed a pipe organ from Steinway Hall in New York and
Mrs. Emily Woolsey a church bell. In late 1891 the Union Church was made over into a
Reformed church. The ministers have been:
1891-1900
Uriah D. Gulick
1925-1950
John A. DeBoer
1901-1905
Calvin W. Lauffer
1951-1955
Henry Kreutzer
1906-1908
Charles M. Collins
1956-1960
Eugene Vanderwell
1909-1913
W. Gordon Lang
1960-1963
George M. Flikkema
1914-1925
Preston F. Strauss
1964-
Herman D. Dejong
Before World War I the congregation numbered 175-200 but by
1930 had increased to 350.
Text from '300 YEARS
OF LONG ISLAND CITY 1630-1930' by VINCENT F. SEYFRIED