Founded in 1832 Amity Baptist Church stands as a testament to faith and resilience. It began as a small society formed by members of the Oliver Street Church. Reverend John Williams was their pastor until his death. His son Reverend W R Williams became the church’s first pastor. The church’s original building a beautiful Greek Revival structure designed by Samuel Dunbar was erected in 1834.
Amity Baptist Church wasn’t always located on West 54th Street. It first stood on Amity Street later renamed 3rd Street. As New York City grew the congregation moved north. In 1867 they relocated to a second building. This was the former St Timothy’s Episcopal Church at 310 West 54th Street near Eighth Avenue. The building a clapboard Gothic style structure built in 1860 had a fascinating history of its own. It wasn’t just a church. This building later found a new life in Marlborough-on-Hudson. This was near the home of Reverend Leighton Williams. He was the eldest son of Reverend W R Williams and served as pastor from 1887 to 1917.
The move to West 54th Street wasn’t their final chapter. The third and final building also stood on West 54th Street. This majestic structure a testament to architectural innovation boasted a herringbone tile dome by Rafael Guastavino. Rossiter & Wright designed the building constructed between 1907 and 1908. Today this building is owned by the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation. The legacy of Amity Baptist Church lives on in its architectural achievements. Its enduring spirit echoes through the decades a quiet yet potent testament to faith in the heart of bustling New York City.