The Belfry (steeple): 1868 and 2006
The original 1849 building was constructed without a bell tower. In 1868, the three Protestant congregations sharing the church, Baptist, Methodist, and Advent Christians, jointly raised the funds to add the steeple and cover the roof with new materials.
The belfry would not stand undisturbed forever. Church records from the early 1900s from Mrs Lampman, note that during a significant storm, the steeple blew off the church entirely and landed in the field to the west. Its repair was described at the time as a considerable undertaking; a testament to how much the congregation valued it as part of its building.
And that storm repair was not an isolated event: church records throughout the 1900s document the congregation repeatedly maintaining and repairing the steeple over the decades, keeping watch over the structure it had built.
By 2006, time had caught up with the steeple once more. The church hired an engineer to evaluate the steeple’s condition. His inspection found that some of the main supporting beams had failed, and he recommended that the steeple be taken down so that proper repairs could be made. The removal itself was a major undertaking, and it became a genuine community effort. Residents of Pownal and neighboring towns came together, contributing donations and volunteering their time and labor. Local businesses stepped up as well: Greater Heights Tree Management volunteered all of its labor. Even the town of Pownal helped out by contributing 821.60. The crane work was done by Burgess Brothers who gave the church a hefty discount (crane work cost only $500.00!) After the bell tower came down, the church was left with a significant opening in the roof that required immediate attention. The church congregation (supported by generous donations from many Pownal residents) raised and spent approximately $37,000 over the next 2 years to close the opening, reinforce the roof framing, and stabilize the structure.
Many residents have expressed frustration that the steeple has not been replaced, and the church shares that feeling. Restoring a historic belfry of this kind is a specialized undertaking requiring master craftsmen whose expertise is in high demand, and the cost is high. The church has not forgotten it. Phase one of the restoration was completed in 2009 when the underlying roof structure was completely rebuilt and reinforced per the documented Architect’s plans to support a new belfry, and the church continues to work toward the day when the bell tower will once again rise above Pownal Center.
The church today, without the steeple, looks exactly as it did when it was first built in 1849. The building standing today is, in its essential form, the building the church and community built.
Current Condition
The Pownal Center Community Church continues to be actively maintained and improved by its congregation. In 2024, the church completed a full roof replacement at a cost of just over $35,000, funded entirely by the congregation through the generous contributions of its members and supporters.
The project was undertaken by professional contractors (Roofs R Us, Proctor VT) who went well beyond a simple shingle replacement. Deteriorated wood was removed and replaced, and new plywood was installed over the entire roof structure, significantly strengthening the building’s overall integrity. The work included a synthetic underlayment, ice and water shielding, lead flashing around the chimney, and a proper ridge venting system — all details that reflect a commitment not just to maintaining the building, but to improving it for the generations ahead.
