First Universalist Church of Yarmouth, Maine, is a classic New England village church that has been an icon of Yarmouth's historic Main Street since 1860.
Over the years, the weather has taken its toll on this old church, and rot and decay have made the steeple unstable and unsafe. The spire was removed on August 30, 2006 to protect it from potential heavy winds during New England's hurricane season. (See photos of the "unspiring" event). It now sits in the church's front yard awaiting the funds necessary to restore the steeple.
Restoration costs are estimated at $330,000, much more than is within the means of the church's small congregation.
This has become a familiar story for old churches throughout New England. Many small congregations cannot afford to restore their steeples before they are lost permanently to deterioration; and with each loss, the traditional and authentic character of New England villages is slipping forever into the past.
First Universalist is committed to stewardship of its beautiful building and recently funded several sizable emergent projects that included abatement of lead paint on the building’s exterior and installation of a sprinkler system. For the steeple’s restoration, however, it has no choice but to ask the community for help.
Recognizing that Yarmouth residents cherish the “sense of place” they feel living in a traditional New England village, a coalition has come together with the support and encouragement of organizations like Maine Preservation, Friends of Yarmouth Village, and the Village Improvement Society, to rally the community's support to "Save the Steeple."
Here, you'll find information about the building's history, an updated progress report and the latest news on the steeple's restoration project, and you'll find information about how to donate to this effort.
