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Preservation Pop Quiz & Abandoned Vermont
A double post: what is this abandoned structure? It is located in Florence, VT. The building is built into a hill, so the side not shown has only small windows. Any guesses?
And my guess was going to be that it’s a sort of a timeline structure — to me that heavy-built foundation just does not belong with that flimsy wooden hat that it’s wearing — suggesting to my imagination that there was once something quite grand there that burned or was destroyed in some way, then abandoned, then someone took over the property and with limited funds plopped that structure on top. The two doors almost suggest an old schoolhouse, in the days where there was a boy entrance and a girl entrance….
I’ll be curious to hear the history when you discover it!
If I can match this correctly to the Rutland County Historic Sites book, this is a 1910 church built in the Neo-Gothic Revival style featuring rusticated stone and marble. I’ll see what else I can find.
I lived next to it for many years. It was Saint Theresa Catholic Church in Florence, VT. Omya bought it (as with other properties) and uses it for storage.
Kaitlin- what was left after the fire was removed so only the foundation remained, the roof that you see now was constructed over that to protect it. I grew up in Florence and my parents still live there, there just simply aren’t enough people to justify an active church. There also is another still standing church within Florence that is used as a private residence.
I never heard about it burning. Just that the people declined in the Florence area and were sent to St. Alphonsus Church in Pittsford. I remember our neighbor “Joe” would maintain the building until Omya started buying all their land back and bought the Church property.
My parents were married here and I remember going as a child. There was no fire. They just ran out of funds to finish the church so they just put a roof on it. It closed after my grandmother passed since she was a big influence in attendance.
Icehouse perhaps? Is there a body of water nearby that freezes during the winter? Who am I kidding, everything freezes in Vermont during the winter.
Except last winter, when we barely even had snow!
this is actually an abandoned church i was there last night
Thanks Kayla. Do you know of which religion?
And my guess was going to be that it’s a sort of a timeline structure — to me that heavy-built foundation just does not belong with that flimsy wooden hat that it’s wearing — suggesting to my imagination that there was once something quite grand there that burned or was destroyed in some way, then abandoned, then someone took over the property and with limited funds plopped that structure on top. The two doors almost suggest an old schoolhouse, in the days where there was a boy entrance and a girl entrance….
I’ll be curious to hear the history when you discover it!
If I can match this correctly to the Rutland County Historic Sites book, this is a 1910 church built in the Neo-Gothic Revival style featuring rusticated stone and marble. I’ll see what else I can find.
I lived next to it for many years. It was Saint Theresa Catholic Church in Florence, VT. Omya bought it (as with other properties) and uses it for storage.
Julie, did part of the church burn? Or was it never finished? Too bad Omya is using the building for a greater purpose!
Kaitlin- what was left after the fire was removed so only the foundation remained, the roof that you see now was constructed over that to protect it. I grew up in Florence and my parents still live there, there just simply aren’t enough people to justify an active church. There also is another still standing church within Florence that is used as a private residence.
I never heard about it burning. Just that the people declined in the Florence area and were sent to St. Alphonsus Church in Pittsford. I remember our neighbor “Joe” would maintain the building until Omya started buying all their land back and bought the Church property.
My parents were married here and I remember going as a child. There was no fire. They just ran out of funds to finish the church so they just put a roof on it. It closed after my grandmother passed since she was a big influence in attendance.
S, thanks for the information. Nice connection to it!