Gaysville Church
Steeple Removed
By Shari McLaughlin

Preservation expert Jan Lewandowski and his crew carefully remove the steeple from atop the Gaysville Community Church on Route 107. The steeple, circa 1863, will be gradually repaired on-site, as funds become available. (Herald / Tim Calabro)

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it was a very large crane from Miller Construction of Windsor and it didn’t leap over a tall building, but it did disassemble one very, very carefully.

On Monday, July 28, the steeple of the Gaysville Community Church was gently removed from its perch, after months of planning as part of an architectural preservation and restoration project. A semi-permanent roof cap was put in place until the steeple can be returned to its place of honor.

Restoration of the steeple is actually Phase II of a project designed to repair, preserve and protect the architecturally significant church built in 1863. Phase I of the project, nearly complete, repaired roof trusses, rafters, a tie beam and accompanying roof, ceiling and cornice work. Removal of the steeple is the first step of Phase II, but took months of careful preparation and planning by licensed timber framer, Jan Lewandoski of Restoration & Traditional Building of Greensboro Bend, and his assistant, Chris Patton of Danville. Lewandoski is the main timber framer for the Preservation Trust of Vermont.

It will take Lewandoski and Patton several months to replace metal roofing on the steeple, as well as make repairs to the pinnacle, dome, skirting roofs, mast and boarding. The work will be done on site.

According to church secretary, Mary Ellen Dorman, "We’d like to have it back on by the fall, but it could be several years depending on how we do on fundraising. We’ve worked so hard to get as much done as we have."

So far, $10,000 has been raised through many fundraisers such as church suppers, "coffee breaks" at the Sharon rest area off I-89 and the church’s annual "Whale of A Sale," and it’s estimated that another $60,000 needs to be raised. Planning for and removal of the steeple cost $7000 alone. Another "coffee break" at the Sharon rest area is planned for August 30 and 31.

The removal of the steeple took nearly six hours and drew over 20 spectators, as well as slowing down passing traffic on Route 107.

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