Our History
Zion was founded in November of 1855 as part of the New York Ministerium by a small group of German immigrants dedicated to the Lutheran Confessions and the Word of God. Originally meeting in a stable on Washington Street, after only a year the congregation was able to raise enough money to move into its present location on Henry Street. The building itself was originally built in 1839 and was used as a Dutch Reformed Church and a dance hall prior to becoming home to Zion. It is currently the oldest church building still in continual use in Brooklyn Heights.
In the 1880s the church underwent major renovations, adding a gothic facade to the exterior and ornate gothic decorations on the interior ceiling and walls. In 1901 the church installed its famous Mueller & Abel pipe organ with over 2,400 pipes. It is the largest organ of its kind ever built by Mueller & Abel. Today it is committed to remembering its rich history and the culture of the German people, and to continuing their legacy.