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Keep the Momentum Going!

Make a donation during the BBCF Week of Giving, March 16 -20

Progress on restoring the Old Lutheran Church Tower

We are making great strides in restoring the a Old Lutheran Church. But we need your support to keep it going. Please consider making a donation during the BBCF Week of Giving, March 16-20. All donations will be used to help finish the Tower restoration. Donate here: https://bbcfgives.org/organizations/75-franklin-preservation

To date, Franklin Preservation has removed the stained glass windows from the front of the building. They are being re-glazed, re-framed and painted. We began work on the Tower in July of 2019. This work included removing and replacing rotten corner boards, sills and siding with new structural material. Using old photos of the building, the architectural detailing will be recreated to match the original using updated materials. A new stoop, stone masonry, stairs and handrails are planned. The front doors will be refurbished and painted and given new hardware. There will be a new railing at the top of the Tower. Franklin Preservation hopes to recreate the original “Bell Tower” roof from 1886. We have received a matching City of Franklin historic preservation grant to help accomplish some of these items. In addition, we received a matching grant from the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission that will allow us to begin the replacement of the roof and add a gutter system on the Church portion of the building.

Divine Intervention Party Saturday January 11

Join us for some winter cheer! Your donation will help continue the restoration of this historic 1886 building.

Join us this Saturday, January 11 from 5- 9 PM for some post holiday cheer at our Divine Intervention cocktail party. Held at The Miller Park B&B in historic Miller Park in Franklin, this party will be a warm and welcoming event. Enjoy delicious appetizers and a naughty or nice drink by the fireside while listening to music by pianist Nat Licht Admission is by donation. Funds raised will benefit the restoration of the 1886 Stick Style building located on the corner of Buffalo and 11th Street, formerly known as the Old Lutheran Church. Valet parking will be available since there is no parking in Miller Park. Raffle tickets with prizes of $1000, $300 and $200 will be will be sold during the evening. Winners will be drawn at the end of the evening. You do not have to be present to win.

If you prefer to not use valet parking, the closest parking is on the 1500 block of Buffalo Street, the 1500 block of Liberty Street, and on 16th Street between Elk and Liberty Streets. The 1500 block of Buffalo Street is very steep.

Historic Homes Holiday Tour

Visit the beautifully decorated interiors of several historic mansions In Franklin, PA! This tour includes several of the mansions of Miller Park and a few of the grand houses located in the historic district of Franklin, PA. Each of the eight houses on the tour will feature unique Christmas decorations. Tours will run on Saturday, December 21 from 11 AM to 5 PM and on Sunday, December 22 from Noon to 4 PM. The tour begins at the Peddler

s and Paddlers Inn, where participants must exchange their tickets for brochures with locations and descriptions of the homes on the tour. Participants can board a free shuttle bus to visit the homes in the Miller Park section of historic Franklin, where parking is not available, and also ride the shuttle to the other home locations. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door, if they are not sold out. They can be purchased online via Eventbrite and at the Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Olive Vault in the Liberty Building, 1243 Liberty Street in Franklin. Proceeds support historic preservation in Franklin. More information is available here.

Old Lutheran Church Tower reconstruction is underway!

Church tower under reconstruction. July 2019

Thanks to our generous donors, we have been able to begin the restoration of the Church Tower. Franklin Preservation was also awarded a $27,000 matching grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to be used to replace the roof. See our newsletter below for more information. If you are viewing the newsletter on a computer , click on it to enable the scrolling controls. To view the newsletter in full screen, click on the 4 way arrows on the bottom tool bar.

Newletter-July-2019

Share Your Memories

Share your memories with us. Did you or your family attend the Grace Lutheran Church when it was on the corner 11th and Buffalo Streets or attend the.Church when it became the Faith Holiness Church? Franklin Preservation is seeking your stories, photos and mementos of the Church. If you are willing to share your experiences at the Church, please contact us.

Week of Giving Donations will support Church Tower Restoration!

Franklin Preservation plans to start work on the restoration of the Church Tower this summer! You can help us raise $10,000 for this project by donating during the Bridge Builders Community Foundation Week of Giving when your donation will go further since it will be partially matched. Donate here March 18th to 22nd:

https://bbcfgives.org/organizations/75-franklin-preservation

Preservation Award for Restoration of the Civil War Monument

The Oil Region Alliance recognized Franklin Preservation’s achievement in restoring the Venango County Civil War Monument with a 2017 Oil Heritage Region Historic Preservation Award. Vice President, Dianne Hall, who led the restoration efforts, accepted the award at a ceremony held in Titusville, Pa. on May 20th. Ms. Hall thanked Marlie Manning of the Venango County Historical Society for VCHS’s nomination of Franklin Preservation for the award and the Oil Region Alliance for its early support of the restoration project.