On the evening of January 15, 1957, a devastating fire broke out at the First Methodist Church (located at 41½ S. State Street) and the adjacent Wesleyan Methodist Publishing Association building (at 304 E. Onondaga Street) in Syracuse, NY. The blaze quickly engulfed both structures—destroying the church and causing severe damage to surrounding buildings.

Wesleyan Methodist Church Syracuse, New York Headquarters. Date unknown.

Wesleyan Methodist Church headquarters Syracuse, New York. Date unknown.

The original Wesleyan Methodist Church in Syracuse, New York, which also functioned as the early headquarters of the Wesleyan Methodist Connection. It stood at the corner of East Onondaga Street and East Jefferson Street, Syracuse, NY. The modern street address associated with the site is 304 East Onondaga Street, Syracuse, NY 13202. Built in 1845, it was both a church and a denominational center. It served as a hub for abolitionist activity and was a known stop on the Underground Railroad. National conventions of the Wesleyan Methodist Connection were held there, and it was closely tied to Syracuse’s antislavery network.