First Universalist Church

The State of the Steeple

First Universalist Removes Spire from Steeple

On June 4, at our Annual Meeting, the congregation of First Universalist Church voted nearly unanimously (65 to 2) to attempt to preserve the steeple to conservation standards, rather than replacing its parts with aluminum or truncating and capping it.

Structural engineers recently identified major deterioration that has made the 150-year-old steeple unsturdy and unsafe, and the issues must be addressed soon (click on the church photo for a description of the issues).

Preliminary work has begun. Arron Sturgis, a preservationist steeplejack, has begun to stabilize and document the construction of the steeple with photos, drawings and measurements, in preparation for the spire's removal on August 28.

We have much work ahead to raise about $320,000 needed to complete the project. The Steeple Preservation Committee has begun work to inform the public and raise funds and has created a Web site geared to the Greater Yarmouth community's interests in the historic preservation aspect of this project at www.savethesteeple.com.

If you would like to contribute any amount of time, talent, or money to this effort, please contact anyone on the Steeple Committee, or email the church office.