This Month in Rochester History

Fifty years ago this month, the Rochester First Church of the Nazarene moved into its new building at 1520 Walton Boulevard.  The congregation had been founded in 1920, and purchased the former Universalist church building on Walnut Street in downtown Rochester. Services were held in that building until the new church on Walton was ready for occupancy in February 1966.

In those days, the congregation paid $40,000 for the land and $75,000 for the construction of the new building, which had a seating capacity of 300. In 2002, the congregation was once more in need of a larger facility and built a brand new church  at 1799 Walton. The 1966 building at 1520 Walton was razed in 2009.