Bus Tour of Modern religious architecture in Westchester and Fairfield County

Spend a day with DOCOMOMO US/New York Tri-State exploring some of the most notable and inspiring examples of Modern religious architecture in our area. This unique full day bus tour, will visit six places of worship north of New York City in Westchester County, NY and Fairfield County, CT. Completed between 1956 and 1970, the six sites were designed for five different denominations, by six talented local Modern architects. We will see the interiors of all six, including their sanctuaries.

Widely known as the Fish Church, the First Presbyterian Church in Stamford, perhaps the best known church on the tour, was designed by Wallace K. Harrison and is a National Historic Landmark. Its soaring sanctuary surrounded by 20,000 pieces of dalle de verre stained-glass is among the most impressive Modern interiors in our region. The remarkable organic form of the United Church of Rowayton garnered architect Joseph Salerno a First Honor Award in the 1963 AIA National Honor Awards and has been widely published. The only synagogue designed by Pritzker Prize recipient Philip Johnson, the elegant Congregation Kneses Tifereth Israel Synagogue in Port Chester is formed of pre-cast concrete inset with narrow Belgian stained glass panels. Often celebrated for its vast array of notable Modern houses, New Canaan is also home to two relatively overlooked Modern churches: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, designed by Willis Mills of Sherwood, Mills & Smith, featuring glass by the Willet Studio, and the neighboring First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan by Philip Ives. The first visit on our tour will be the less known Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation  at White Plains, by architect Jules Gregory, published in the late 1950s in both Architectural Forum and Interiors.

Chartered bus will depart from Manhattan near Grand Central Terminal, making a stop at the Rye, NY, train station to pick up and on return drop off participants from points north.

Itinerary

Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation at White Plains, 1959
White Plains, NY
Jules Gregory

United Church of Rowayton, 1962
Rowayton, CT
Joseph P. Salerno Associates Architects and Engineers

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1961
New Canaan, CT
Willis N. Mills of Sherwood, Mills & Smith

First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan, 1970
New Canaan, CT
Philip Ives

First Presbyterian Church, aka the Fish Church, 1958
Stamford, CT
Wallace K. Harrison of Harrison & Abramovitz
Sherwood, Mills & Smith, associate architects

Congregation Kneses Tifereth Israel Synagogue, 1956
Port Chester, NY
Philip C. Johnson Associates

Saturday October 25, 9:00am–6:00pm

$100 DOCOMOMO members / $120 general
Lunch included
Advance registration required. Capacity is strictly limited. Rain or shine.

REGISTER

Curated and organized by Frampton Tolbert, Vice President for Advocacy of DOCOMOMO US/New York Tri-State and John Arbuckle, President of DOCOMOMO US/New York Tri-State.

This program is part of DOCOMOMO US Tour Day 2025, which takes place throughout the month of October. The only national program of its kind, tours and events focused on the Modern Movement are hosted by DOCOMOMO US chapters, partners, and leading voices in preservation across the country. This year’s theme is Places of Worship.

We wish to thank all of the congregations for graciously hosting us.