Churches and meeting houses and similar institutional buildings are so often neglected and used only sporadically as populations and congregations age, people move elsewhere and the community shifts. Sometimes the building no longer serves a purpose to the community or people favor a new building over their historic buildings. So it sits, awaiting use and suffers from the elements. The Simonsville Meeting House in Windsor County, VT is an example of a building that fell out of use.
Simonsville Meeting House in Windsor County, VT, constructed 1848.
Leaning steeple and roof repair.
Chipped and peeling paint on the clapboards.
Looking up from the back of the meeting house.
On the side of the building are large shutters over the top sashes.
View through the side windows.
Front door knob.
Closer view of the steeple.
Record shot.
The building seems solid and square still, assuming the roof repairs are maintained and the steeple is repaired. Anyone have creative ideas for an adaptive reuse project?
This church is next to a fairly active inn that has a restaurant. Possibly some type of programs that would appeal to clients of the inn could be started on a twice a year basis –some type of concert, an old-time movie, even rummage sale fund-raisers. A summer music festival would be great. An art or crafts gallery might work; the traffic seems almost enough in the summer; and near-by Chester could “share” their tourists I guess.
Another example of a church structure needing help: The “save-the-Brookline-Church project” is making progress with their Sunflower Festival and other activities. It has been slow and steady, but there is community support and a desire to see the historic structure survive. However, in Simonsville, I’m not sure whether a community actually exists. Anybody know where we could get more info or send a donation? The last I heard, there was some leaking in the roof and around the windows. Does anyone know if this has been stopped? Are things going from bad to worse?
First, confer with the Preservation Trust of Vermont which has provided support in multiple ways for structures like this. http://www.ptvermont.org
The PTV has brought in Partners for Sacred Places http://www.sacredplaces.org multiple times for project retreats and partnering.
Good luck.