Whats old is new again.

First United Church of Christs steeple and clock tower has been successfully restored, after crews began the process back in early August.

Saturday night, the church marked the completion of the $125,000 restoration with a steeple lighting celebration, including a private gathering for VIP donors in the courtyard, followed by lighting up the newly restored steeple and clock tower.

In 2017 the church conducted a study of the condition of the steeple and tower and concluded that all of it needed to be addressed including the clocks, lighting, finials and nine chimes.

The clocks havent worked for years and the 1916 brass gear clock controller was not operational.

The church needed to raise the money for the restoration, so they sought several grants at the state and county levels. But none came through. The church then focused on donations.

Our church membership and community members who value the history of our church and steeple were very responsive to fund this project, said Doreen Arnold, Chair of Steeple Restoration Committee. So far the committee has raised $117,800 in donations and commitments.

The church has been serving the people of Easton and Phillpsburg since 1745. The steeple was erected in 1833, and has some historical significance.

The churchs steeple was designed in the Greek Revival style by architect Thomas Walter, who was the architect associated with the Capital Dome in D.C. and the Academy of Natural Sciences building.

The bells in the steeple were rung for several historical occasions, including the death of Abraham Lincoln, the 1876 U.S. Centennial, the end of WWII, the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the midnight turn of two centuries, 1900 and 2000.

The steeple and clock tower were last restored in 1971.

Crews started pressure washing, chipping and sanding the exterior early this August. Gordon Bennett Painting, Elderhorst Bells Inc. installed new clocks and repaired the bells; and Zdepski Fine Woodworking created new finials.

But, as with any project, there were obstacles along with way.

As donations were flowing in, Arnold remembers celebrating when they reached their first big milestone of $10,000. Then COVID hit, and all the donations came to a halt.

Thats when we pushed out a strong social media campaign. Through hundreds of small donations from the community and our members, we were able to inch closer to our goal.

"As the actual work began, people started to believe it was really going to happen, and thats when we finally reached the $100,000 mark, said Arnold.

One interesting find during the project, Glenn Kanaley, a steeplejack with Gordon Bennett Painting, counted 76 balusters around the clock tower. No one is quite sure the significance of the number or if there is one, but given the fact 1776 is the year of Americas independence and the Declaration of Independence has a connection to Easton, Kanaley and others involved in the project said they find it quite interesting.

In mid August, priming and painting was well underway. New clock arms were constructed and new bell strikers were installed. New finials had to be produced from the one remaining decorative finial. The damaged original, carved from solid wood, was repaired and used to create a wax mold that was then cast using fiberglass to replicate the original finials. Arnold explained.

The second and third weeks of September noticeable changes happened. New LED lighting was installed, new painted finials were put in position and the final coats of paint were lathered on.

Arnold said she is excited the project is finally done.

I am bursting with pride. As I watched the transformation of this beautiful historic steeple and clock tower each day, the dream slowly became a reality, not only for me but for the Easton community, who cherish its value and beauty as part of the Easton skyline.

From the start, she has been documenting the restoration process, taking photos and videos for their social media. I didnt want to miss one thing so I came down every day to snap pictures or chat with the contractors. The process has been as exciting as the finished product.

"Such a majestic piece to view, highlighting the city, for all to enjoy, Arnold said.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Saed Hindash may be reached at shindash@lehighvalleylive.com.

See the original post here:
Its done! Heres a behind-the-scenes look at the restoration of Eastons iconic steeple, clock tower - lehighvalleylive.com

Related Posts
September 23, 2020 at 11:53 pm by Mr HomeBuilder
Category: Painting Contractors