Town Now Owns Historic Church

On Monday night, Mayor Joe Jaskiewicz announced that the closing on the Montville Congregational Church had taken place, and the town is officially the owner of the building.

A steering committee will be set up under the auspices of the Town Administration/Rules and Procedures standing committee.

The building, near the library on Raymond Hill Road, was put up in 1847. It was the second building on the site; the first had been hit by lightning during a service; two people had died.

According to the "History of Montville" by Henry Baker, as related to historicbuildingsct.com, "Many were shocked and a general consteration seized the awe-stricken assembly."

Environmental and feasibility studies done on the building showed it to be in passable condition. In the meeting on Monday, Jaskiewicz said that tests have showed that the paint on the building is not lead-based, and so the church can be scraped and painted soon.

"We now own the property," said Town Council Chairman Donna Jacobson. "We need to not let it sit there and rot."

"That was not why we bought it," Jaskiewicz said, "to let it sit there and rot."

He said that there are issues that need to be taken care of immediately, most notably a leak in the roof near the bell tower.

Jaskiewicz has called the town's ownership of the building a "very positive" move.

Marcia Vlaun, the town planner, envisions the church as part of a planned heritage corridor, which will unite historic properties and parks by trails and paths throughout the town. Vlaun said that the town can apply for grant funding to make necessary repairs. 

"Until the town owns it and takes responsibility for it, the building will continue to deteriorate," she said. "We can't accept anything until we own it."

And now, Jaskiewicz said, "The church is finally ours."

For more on the town's move toward buying the church, click here.

For a blog on the history of the church, click here.