A piece of Lake Grove history will soon receive a long-awaited restoration after the Town of Brookhaven approved funding to renovate the historic First Congregational Church of New Village following recent vandalism to the property.
Town Supervisor Dan Panico announced that the town board recently authorized funds for exterior improvements to the landmark building, which dates back to approximately 1818 and has stood as a centerpiece of the community for more than two centuries.
The church, located on Middle Country Road west of Elliot Avenue, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002 and is prominently featured on the official Village of Lake Grove seal.
“Our Parks Commissioner Ed Morris is working with Town Historian Barbara Russell on the exterior renovation,” Panico said.
“The project will address windows, shutters, scraping and painting of the siding, with new landscaping and irrigation.”
The building’s history stretches back to the early 19th century, when the congregation was originally formed in 1815 under the name “Third Congregational Church of Brookhaven.”
It later became incorporated as the “First Congregational Church of New Village” in 1845.
Over the decades, the church evolved alongside the surrounding community before the congregation relocated to a larger facility in 1961. The original building eventually came under the ownership of the Town of Brookhaven around 1970.
Though no longer used as an active church, the structure remains one of the area’s most recognizable historic landmarks and a symbol of Lake Grove’s heritage.
Town officials said the restoration project is aimed at preserving the building’s historic character while ensuring it remains a source of pride for residents for years to come.