Iconic 'Legend of Sleepy Hollow' church in need of roof restoration
The Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow has been around since the 1600s.
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An iconic and historic church that is not only part of Westchester County's past, but also important to literary history is in need of restoration.
“It has such a pull to it that draws people here and the church is basically the heart of all that," says Sara Mascia, executive director of The Historical Society, Inc., serving Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown.
The Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow has been around for a long time.
“We date the building of the church at 1685, but it was officially organized as a Reformed congregation in 1697. Then, it was immortalized in 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' by Washington Irving," says Jeff Gargano, pastor of the church.
The Old Dutch Church brings in visitors from all over.
But a piece of the beloved space of spiritual and community gatherings is in need of restoration.
“We need a new roof. Because it’s a historic building, we have to be very careful about how we do that, so it’s pretty expensive. We think we need about a quarter of a million dollars," Gargano tells News 12.
Funds are being raised to help in the restoration and there are also events happening at the church.
“Hopefully the community will step up and help the church because we all love it, it's one of the reasons why we all live here," says Mascia.
