We Are Making Progress

May 2008 - Through the volunteer work of Bernard LaBounty of Lunenburg, a new electrical service has been installed in The Congregational Church.

February 2008 - More For Les Roofing of St. Johnsbury was hired to install a gasket under the ridge cap of The Old Town Hall to make it weather tight.

November 2007 - Volunteers took steps to prevent winter weather intrusion through the damaged parapets of The Congregational Church. They applied temporary patches to the sides of the parapets and temporary caps over their tops. 

July 2007 - Through a donation made by Judy Young of Lunenburg, Smolag Remodeling of Lunenburg, was hired to replace the front door of The Old Town Hall.

July 7, 2007 - The steeple came down from the Lunenburg Congregational Church, leaving the normally majestic building temporarily looking a bit forlorn without its crowning glory. It will remain on its temporary resting place between the church and the old town hall until restorations are completed, hopefully by July 2008.

First, Larry Amadon and Tim Betts, two of the men whose volunteer efforts made the project happen, were hoisted up in a metal basket suspended from the crane and disassembled as much of the weathervane as possible.

Next the 10,500 pound steeple was lifted by heavy straps attached to criss-crossed 6 x 12 beams. Brian Clifford of Kingdom Crane in St. Johnsbury completed the operation with great skill. He donated part of his fee, Larry Amadon  paying the rest of the cost.

Inspection of the steeple indicates it is structurally sound, but restoration is likely to entail the replacement of most, or all, of the exterior wood then painting before lifting it into place atop the church. Tim Betts, a local building contractor, along with colleague Henry Lingley have volunteered their services to take charge of the repair and renovation; work will proceed over the next year as they are able to find time in their busy schedules.

September 2006 - After receiving a matching grant in the amount of $5450 from the State of Vermont Division for Historic Preservation and the townspeople voting an appropropriation of $7000 at Town Meeting, NE Pelletier Builders, Inc. of Bethlehem was awarded the bid to do needed work on The Congregational Church. A ridge cap gasket was installed and the main floor was stabalized.