Old Colony Archives
161-year-old belfry earns a rest
Old Colony students to handle needed repairs
By Ben Conery, Standard Times correspondent
September 30, 2002
ROCHESTER -- Churchgoers won't hear the bell of the North Rochester Congregational Church for a little while.
The 20-foot belfry, which has stood atop the small white church on North Avenue since 1841, recently was removed for repairs.
"In effect, the belfry told us itself it was going to be renovated," said Marv Allison, a member of the church who helped organize the project.
He said members realized the belfry was in need of repairs when renovations began on the church 12 years ago.
The belfry repair is the latest on a list of many done on the church in just over a decade, including moving the building a few feet onto a new foundation and installing plumbing, central heating and ramps for wheelchairs.
The church fell into relative disrepair after closing in 1971.
Mr. Allison said the work is the result of a group of about 30 very dedicated church members.
"They got the bee in their bonnet that they'd like to open the church again, and they did it," he said.
Apart from the few modern conveniences, the aesthetics of the church have remained relatively the same for 161 years.
It is a community effort in all aspects, Mr. Allison said; church members even take turns giving the sermons each Sunday.
Despite his efforts, Mr. Allison said most of the credit belongs to the other members.
"I'm a Johnny-come-lately, building on what they had done before," he said, adding that he and his wife, Mary, joined the church after moving to the area from upstate New York in 1992.
"I just kind of oiled the gears a little bit," he said.
N.C. Hudon of New Bedford removed the belfry, which is currently at Old Colony Regional Vocational-Technical High School awaiting repairs at the hands of students.
Robert Francis, a shop instructor, said it's a unique project, as it is the first belfry students will repair.
"It definitely needs some work," he said.
Mr. Francis said the belfry suffers from wet rot, dry rot and damage due to powder post beetles.
The whole outside of the belfry must be replaced, as well as some of the beam work, he said.
But, they will take pictures of the belfry before doing any work and the results will look identical, he said.
Mr. Allison said having students do the work is a benefit to both them and the church.
"We get the work done for a very good price," he said. "The students get to work with a marvelous example of mid-19th century craftsmanship."
Mr. Francis said it benefits students even further, as it gives them renovation experience.
"Reconstruction is always the bread and butter of any trade," he said.
Mr. Francis expects that the repairs will be done before the end of the school year.