Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts

Located at 5 McLallen Street is the Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts. The Conservatory is one of the finest examples of high-style Greek Revival architecture in Tompkins County. The building was constructed in 1851 to serve as the First Baptist Church of Trumansburg. Beginning in the 1820s, this prominent knoll has been the site of the First Baptist Church Society’s three structures. The first was moved around 1844; the second burned to the ground in 1849. Immediately after the fire, architect Daniel Elmore (1805-1888) was chosen to design and construct the new church. In 1902, a rear addition was built to provide classrooms, a kitchen, and dining room. Save for the removal of its spire in 1924 and belfry during the 1950s, the building has maintained a high degree of architectural integrity. The architectural details of the church, including the Doric portico and detailed entablature, are highly sophisticated in nature. The classical appearance of the principal façade takes cues from the works of famed Renaissance architects Serlio, Vignola, and Palladio. The property was acquired by the Conservatory in 1982. The Conservatory offers a range of music and dance lessons, as well as public concerts and art exhibits.

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