Sand Lake Center for the Arts - Circle Theatre Players

    Box Office: (518) 674-2007     P. O. Box 179
    2880 NY 43
    Averill Park, NY 12018
    Email: info@slca-ctp.org

SLCA History

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A Church..... a Town Hall.....an Arts Center

The Sand Lake Center for the Arts was originally constructed at the intersections of Routes 66 and 43 in 1835 by the Jacob and Squire Deitcher and Co. of Troy on land that was purchased for $1.00 from the Butts family.

The building was subsequently enlarged and repaired in 1851-54, and a manse built in 1870-71. During 1890-91 a new wing, bell tower, and stained glass windows were added. The building's history begins in 1808, when a group from the Alps Congregationalist Society joined with some residents from Greenbush (the area where Taborton Rd. and Routes 43 and 66 now intersect) to form the First Presbyterian Church of Greenbush. There were 37 original members. Family names were Bailey, Holcomb, Belknap, Adams, French, Ives, Woodbridge, Brown, Rowley, Benjamin, Williams, Foster, Coleman, Kirk, Bidwell and Hempstead. Some descendants of these families still reside in the area today. The group joined Methodist and Baptist Societies and worshipped in the Union Meetinghouse (now the Sand Lake Baptist Church) until 1832, when this original plot was purchased. Renovations were made to the interior of the building to accommodate the growing needs of the First Presbyterian Church congregation. The building was sold to the Town of Sand Lake and the manse and barns were torn down to make room for the parking lot.

In 1972 the building was retrofitted and dedicated to serve as the Town Hall. Thirty years later, the local government had outgrown the building and relocated to a larger facility. Circle Theatre Players, Averill Park's resident community theatre group, formerly performing in Church of the Covenant, now has a their own! The key to the building was passed to Joan Fuess, Executive Director on May 3, 2002. CTP has a 25 year renewable lease on the property and began renovations in June of 2002.

Preserving the integrity of the historical significance of the building, CTP has renovated the interior for use by performing and visual artists and has named the new space Sand Lake Center for the Arts - Circle Theatre Players.