Southold's First Universalist Church prepares to break ground on new building, 8 years after fire

After a fire destroyed the historic First Universalist Church in Southold in 2015, Mark Sisson of Mattituck sifted through the charred rubble, finding little more than a brass plaque and pages from a burned hymnal.

Days later, at a service held at the Custer Institute and Observatory, members of the Southold Fire Department presented the congregation with a bell salvaged from the debris.

“It was pretty emotional,” Sisson, 70, a member of the church, recalled. “It showed how badly the building had been burned, but it also showed it was going to be possible to continue on as a congregation and also perhaps rebuild.”

Eight years later, the vow to rebuild will become reality as the church, which dates to 1837, prepares to break ground on a $2.8 million building around a curve on Route 25 that will honor its history and once again beckon as “the church on the bend.” A ceremony will be held July 22 at 2 p.m. at 51900 Main Rd. The bell will be displayed in the new building, which could take 18 months to complete, Sisson said. 

Sisson helped lead the church’s rebuilding project, which faced setbacks due to the pandemic and rising construction costs. 

Susan Pond, treasurer on the church’s board, said concerts, yard sales, matching capital campaigns and a GoFundMe campaign have helped fundraising efforts, which are ongoing.

Realizing it would be too costly to construct a replica, church officials worked with an architect to incorporate design elements from the old church, including Gothic-style windows and an oculus above the entrance.

The building’s facade was designed in a classic, New England style that is prevalent in the area. The design was approved by the town’s Historic Preservation Commission, since the site is located within a historic district and is on Southold's register of historic landmarks.

The vacant lot has been "a sad reminder" of lost history, said Deanna Witte-Walker, executive director at the Southold Historical Museum. "The church was not just a gathering place, it was also a beautiful landmark in our hamlet," she said. 

The foundation for the new building will be laid on a different spot on the property and a memorial garden is planned where the old building stood. A nitrogen-reducing septic system will be installed along with ADA-accessible ramps and restrooms and fire sprinkler system the old church lacked, Sisson said.

The March 2015 fire quickly consumed the wood-frame structure. “It was hard to get control of because the roof collapsed,” recalled former Southold Fire Department Chief Peggy Killian, adding the cause of the fire was deemed indeterminable. “It was a sad day to lose something that’s been part of our community forever,” she said. 

The Southold church is one of about 10 Unitarian Universalist congregations on Long Island. The Universalist church promotes spirituality and ethical living and welcomes people of all faiths and backgrounds, including the LGBTQ+ community, according to its website.

The Rev. Valerie Freseman, who joined the church in 2018, remains inspired by the resilience of the members and envisions the space being used for worship, concerts, lectures and exercise classes for generations.

“It’s not just about a building,” she said. “When you build a building, it’s a promise for the future. I hope it can be a community space and resource.”