Not-really-a-YMCA

The Northside YMCA, which isn’t a full YMCA, was the second Baptist Church of Scotch Plains for a little while.

Here are some dates of things:

• 1816-1817: Used (built?) when the original Baptist meeting house burned to the ground.
• 1871: They moved the building! This involved oxen. At this point, I think it was serving as Scotch Plain’s District 14 School.
• 1890: A real school was built. This building continued being used as a parish house (?).
• 1910: Purchased by J. Ackerman Coles and his sister Emile. I’m assuming renovations began about this time.
• 1912: YMCA! With a new gymnasium, new bowling alleys, and a new columned façade (totally not original).

 

Reference:

Bousquet, R. and Bousquet, S. (1995). Images of America: Scotch Plains and Fanwood. Arcadia Publishing: Dover, NH. ISBN 0738563188.