Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
Indiana Landmarks released its list of 10 Most Endangered properties in Indiana Monday.
The annual list draws attention to homes and buildings that are in danger of being lost forever without a commitment to save and restore them. The list includes a rare polygonal barn, fraternal lodge buildings, movie palace and a church. For the full list, click here.
In the past, properties in the Radius Indiana region have been on the list. This year, there were no landmarks from the Radius region, however, a couple of properties from the Radius region that have been saved were noted by Indiana Landmarks in its press release.
Two “saves” from the Radius region included the First Baptist Church in West Baden Springs and the Washington County Courthouse in Salem.
First Baptist Church, locally known as the West Baden Colored Church, went on the 10 Most Endangered list in 2014. Built in 1920, the church, at one time, had a robust congregation of African Americans who worked at the French Lick and West Baden Springs hotels. As membership declined, the church was given to the local historical society. When that group disbanded, the town inherited the church, which by that time was in a state of deterioration.
The Southeastern District Association of the Indiana Missionary Baptist State Convention bought the church from the town council for a dollar and launched an effort to revive the landmark. A multi-year restoration effort, led mainly by volunteers, scraped and painted clapboard, installed new flooring and helped restore the church’s bell and tower.
In 2022, congregants and community members gathered for a rededication ceremony. “It’s been a long journey, but a labor of love,” said Rev. Dr. Bruce Rose, pastor of Bloomington’s Second Baptist Church.
Washington County Courthouse
Like many counties, Washington County’s 1888 courthouse is the anchor of the downtown square. It is hard to miss the huge limestone clock tower that rises above the Romanesque Revival building. When the courthouse landed on the 10 Most Endangered list, the tower was in trouble. Repairs made in the 1930s after the tower was struck by lightning resulted in water being trapped in the stone. Decades of damage left the tower unstable.
The courthouse was on the endangered list in 2016 and 2017. In 2018, the county leaders hired a restoration company to stabilize the tower, do masonry work and repair the roof. The project cost was over $1 million.
The court offices were moved out of the courthouse into a judicial center. The historic courtroom is now used for government meetings.
Saving the courthouse was vital to the downtown, said Erik Bush, executive director of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce.
“For the courthouse to be in the middle of the downtown historic district is vital for tourism and for those visitors who like to come and look at the buildings on the square,” said Bush.
Bush knows well the value of an historic downtown building. The chamber office is located on the second floor of the courthouse as is the Washington County Economic Growth Partnership.
“It’s important to preserve our history,” he said. “You can rebuild it, but it wouldn’t be as it is now.”
Next month, the chamber will host a downtown event, Friday Night on the Square, to bring people downtown to shop, eat and mingle. The event is Sept. 20 from 6-9 p.m.