Friday, July 16, 2010

Seeing Emanuel Lutheran

A comment by Dr. Zizmor on "God Is in the Details" reminded me of Arthur Baker's wonderful book Wooden Churches: Columbia County Legacy, published by the Columbia County Historical Society in 2003. Since Emanuel Lutheran is one of the churches included in the book, I asked Baker for permission to reproduce his stunning photograph of the church on Gossips, and he agreed.

The installation of the vinyl siding is scheduled to begin next week and is anticipated to take two and a half weeks.

I highly recommend Wooden Churches. Spending time with it is a remarkable experience. If you can't find it at the Spotty Dog, you will definitely find it at the Columbia County Historical Society. The Hudson Area Library has two copies: one that circulates and one that stays in the History Room.

4 comments:

  1. Perhaps someone should nail a list of 95 principles of historic preservation to the Lutheran church door.

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  2. Cool idea. Then have the Register Star do a photo and story.

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  3. Is what's being asked that extreme, so much that you can situate it as such, anon? That building has been painted for 150 years, no problem, the vinyl is the extreme act here, not the former. Flippant dismissals like this only perpetuate the culture of dissonance, where ignorance and aggression become the de facto vernacular. Is this a witch hunt? No, its the law. All we're asking is that the New members of this church (who sold their old one and now have the 68 grand to do the vinyl) respect what's been. Because its what helped make this Renaissance. Is that so extreme?

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  4. Although we will not live long enough to enjoy it, someone 50 years or so from now will "discover" the original hidden treasure under what certainly will be tattered vinyl and restore that church to its original glory. Just like when Face Stockholm took the horrible facing off of that building from a previous misguided period and restored that beautiful building. So years from now there will be great celebration for the Lutheran church and much shaking of disbelieving heads of stupid people back in 2010 who would have covered up such a treasure.

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