Old First Presbyterian Church - Newark, Delaware
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 39° 40.975 W 075° 45.267
18S E 435303 N 4392837
Historic former Presbyterian Church now study area for students at the University of Delaware.
Waymark Code: WMJTR9
Location: Delaware, United States
Date Posted: 12/30/2013
Views: 6
The Old First Presbyterian Church is a one story rectangular stone structure with a two bay facade and a tower at the northeast corner on Main Street. The original north portion of this building, begun in 1868, is constructed of random coursed granite ashlar with rusticated brownstone trim. Following the Gothic Revival style of church architecture, this structure features a steeply pitched gable roof, lancet windows with pointed arches and exterior buttresses. A large pointed arch stained glass window is also located at the north gable end facade. The one and one half story rear wing is a later 1920's addition which was built to match the original church nave. It also features an east side entry with corner buttresses and lancet windows with pointed arches of rusticated stone. In the 1960 f s the church steeple, which originally adorned the northeast corner tower, was replaced by a steep gable roof with flared eaves and a louvered belfry. Other than this latter and relatively discreet modification, the exterior of the First Presbyterian Church has remained essentially unaltered since the 1920's.
- National Register Nomination
The building was sold to by the First Presbyterian Church to the University of Delaware in 1968. It was then renamed Daugherty Hall and converted to a student lounge. It is now connected to the Trabant University Center. The former church is now used as a quiet study lounge. The adaptive reuse of the building retained the exterior appearance of the building while significantly modifying the interior.