TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — A church in Terre Haute will be rehabilitated due to grant funding, along with several other historic and archeological preservation projects throughout the state.
Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Terre Haute will undergo a multi-phase rehabilitation to repair the west wing of the building. The first phase will include cleaning the masonry and conducting 100% mortar joint repointing. The project will also work to ensure the correct color, texture, tooling, and appearance of the repairs. There will also be around 300 bricks that need to be replaced, including 100 curved bricks for the turret on the northwest side of the church.
The funding for these grants to research or restore cultural and historic sites comes from various organizations including the U.S. Department of the Interior, and National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund Program, which is being administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology.
The projects are expected to begin this summer and be completed around June, 30 of 2025.
The complete list of cities that will also receive a portion of the grant funding for a local rehabilitation project is as follows:
- Archaeology:
- Harrison and Crawford Counties: A grant to Ball State University Applied Anthropology Laboratories will fund an archaeological survey of approximately 60 acres at Harrison-Crawford State Forest. The project will survey the terrace acreage surrounding the Twin Chimney site, a historic home site and farmstead. At least two archaeological site records will be updated, and about 15 new sites are expected to be documented, including suspected lime kilns.
- Adams and Jay Counties: A grant to Ball State University Applied Anthropology Laboratories will fund an archaeological survey at Limberlost Swamp Conservation Area. The project goal is to understand the use of wetlands by pre-contact Indigenous populations. Wetland use is under-represented in the Indiana archaeological record. A previous survey of Loblolly Marsh Nature Preserve, an area inside Limberlost, uncovered information about the use of the wetland; however, further study of other land parcels is warranted.
- Steuben County: A grant to Purdue University will fund an archaeological reconnaissance survey at Trine State Recreation Area on approximately 40 acres and will focus on areas that are well-drained and not previously disturbed. The release said archaeological resources of Steuben County are poorly understood and there are currently no documented archaeological sites in Trine State Recreation Area. Approximately 12 new sites are expected to be documented.
- Rehabilitation Projects:
- Muncie (Delaware County): A grant to the city of Muncie will assist with the rehabilitation of its 1904 Carnegie Library. The HPF funds will be used for roof rehabilitation and repairs to the front entryway and steps. Work will include repairing failed seams in the metal roofing, sealing the termination of metal flashing into the masonry, sealing failed junctures between the metal and EPDM roofing, and correcting ponding on the roof and gutters, particularly at the northeast corner of the building. For maintenance as well as public safety, the project will also seal cracked concrete panels near the main entry and patch or repair damaged treads in the concrete entry stairs.
- Angola (Steuben County): A grant to the Powers Church and Cemetery Association will assist with the rehabilitation and stabilization of the foundation of the church, which was built in 1876. The original stone foundation appears to have settled or shifted, resulting in the bowing of the wall and growing gaps in the original oak floors caused by stresses in the subfloor structure. Several areas of the flooring have buckled or separated from the wall, particularly along the north side. The church previously received HPF funds in 2020 to rehabilitate the steeple and the bell tower, and since that time members have also scraped, repaired, primed, and painted the clapboard siding.
- Crawfordsville (Montgomery County): A grant to the city of Crawfordsville will assist masonry rehabilitation efforts at the 1901 Neo-Classical style Crawfordsville Masonic Temple. The HPF funds will focus on the east elevation (primary façade) of the building. The work includes repointing the brick and limestone wall and porch as needed, replacing cracked and broken bricks and at least 12 missing or broken limestone balusters, and patching or replacing any failed limestone units. The project is part of a larger effort to restore the building, secure it from water intrusion, and make it more usable.
- Jeffersonville (Clark County): A grant to Full Power Wisdom, Inc. will assist with the exterior rehabilitation of the First Christian Church, which is a contributing resource to the Old Jeffersonville Historic District. The sanctuary was built in 1884 in the Gothic Revival style, and an adjoining office complex was added around 1930. The HPF funds will repair the steeple roof by replacing the shingles and ridge caps and replacing or repairing the wood elements such as the fascia if needed. The funds will also help rehabilitate the arched window and door openings on the south side of the church, repair three windows on the west elevation, and clean and repaint the exterior.
- Peru (Miami County): A grant to the Miami Nation of Indians of Indiana will assist with rehabilitating the Peru High School building, which is now the tribe’s headquarters. The masonry building exhibits mortar loss, damaged bricks, cracked and spalled limestone units, and corroded steel window lintels. As part of a phased approach to overall masonry rehabilitation, work will be prioritized on the front and sides of the classroom wing. Work will include replacing damaged bricks, replacing or repairing damaged limestone units, and repointing defective mortar joints.
- Lafayette (Tippecanoe County): The Trinity United Methodist Church will receive $30,000 to rehabilitate the stained glass windows on the north elevation of its building. The project will result in the rehabilitation of six large lancet arched windows. They will be removed and repaired off-site, and new protective glazing will be included with reinstallation.
- Columbia City (Whitley County): A grant to the Region 3-A Regional Planning Commission will assist with the preservation of the Thomas Marshall House, which was built in 1874. HPF funds will address roof, gutter, window, and wood repairs to deter water infiltration that threatens its long-term preservation.
- Evansville (Posey County): A grant to the city of Evansville will assist with the stabilization of limestone detailing on the tower of the Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse. The bell tower features highly ornate limestone decoration; however, open mortar joints and cracks in the limestone units have worsened from freeze-thaw cycles to the point that a sizable piece broke off and fell through a skylight, creating a safety hazard. This project will undertake the resetting or removing of loose fragments of limestone and repointing it to halt water infiltration and further masonry deterioration. It will also address other areas of water infiltration.
