В Колумбиане торжественно переосвятили историческую часовню «Stick Chapel» после масштабной реставрации

COLUMBIANA - A chapel built more than 135 years ago in Columbiana has now been rededicated to the community after years of being used for storage. The Stick Chapel, built in 1890, will now serve, as intended, inside the Columbiana Cemetery at Firestone to accommodate funeral parties. The rededication Saturday brought the community together to witness history in the chapel’s next chapter. “For well over a century, this building stood as the silent witness to our community’s heartaches,” Deborah Firestone-Himes, president of the Historical Society of Columbiana and Fairfield Township, said. The chapel was built by Frank Grove, Paul Mellinger and John Harrold. Firestone-Himes says members of her family were also a part of the chapel’s construction. With a new chapel being built in 1971, the Stick Chapel was turned into a storage building. It wasn’t until 2017 that the city stepped in to begin renovations. Since then, the chapel received a new slate roof and was the focus of the Historical Society of Columbiana & Fairfield Township’s “Fix the Sticks” restoration campaign. Restoration was completed in August. “We could let this piece of our history fade away, or we could work with the city to save it,” Firestone-Himes said. The restoration was completed by Jim Santini Builder, Inc., with the help of the historical society, the city, and community donors and organizations, according to a news release. W&W Heating of North Lima, Baird Brothers Lumber of Canfield, Heim Sheet Metal of Lisbon, the Janet Flynn Family and David Spatholt contributed through material and project support. The chapel is one of two historical buildings owned by the City of Columbiana, the release states.