Backyard Adventures

BACKYARD ADVENTURES 2016 PIKE PUBLISHING 33 STORY AND PHOTOS BY FRAN PETIT, ALDEN HEURING AND CINDY PETTY The rural landscape is changing fast. New sub- divisions are growing out of old farmland. Wider roads are running where old country stores once stood as the social center of the community. With all this progress, thankfully some old churches are still standing and most are thriving. Amazing, awe-inspiring, splendid, opulent and serene are just a few words that describe South- ern Indiana's historic churches. Every county is blessed to have churches steeped in historical significance and exceptional beauty. Discovering these churches was like going on a treasure hunt. Each journey involved driving down winding roads for miles and being treated to the vision of a steeple rising in the distance. Let your imagination take a journey to some of the most incredible places in the south section of the Hoosier State—from Posey County through Lawrence County and all those in between, the spiritual and God-fearing folks created beautiful structures that survived modernization, nature's fury and years of neglect. Take a step back though time and enjoy the majestic beauty that our founders created as a place to worship and today's members continue to preserve for the future. Foowing the A pictorial walk though historic churches POSEY COUNTY ZION-LIPPE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST (CIRCA 1895) Mt. Vernon Pictured above. Zion-Lippe has a rich history that is more than 160 years old. Their heritage can be traced back to their "Sister" church in Exter, Germany. The church congregation includes a blended family of backgrounds: Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran, Meth- odist and more. ST. WENDALL (CIRCA 1842) Wadesville This village was never formally laid out. It is thought that its name was derived from Wendel Wasem, who contributed liberally to the building of a large Catholic church, which cost about $10,000. The village is located in the northeastern part of Robin- son Township, on the Vanderburgh County line, the line running through the center of the village. ALTE SALEM KIRCHE (CIRCA 1888) West Franklin, Mars Township The Alte Salem Kirche, or the Old Salem Church, rests majesti- cally near the Ohio River in Posey County. The congregation was formed in 1841 by German im- migrants. Their church was built in 1888 and served the United Church of Christ until 1973, when a new church was built. The fate of Salem Kirche was doomed, but a local professor, Ms. Pauline Burgdorf, saved it. She purchased the church for $577 and had it moved a mile and a half away on land once owned by her great- great grandfather. It has sat there mostly unused since, but there has been some effort to renovate it over the past 40 -plus years. Burgdorf bought the old church because she wanted to preserve the place where six generations of her family had worshiped. She planned to turn it into a non- denominational retreat and for the grounds to be used for community events. ST. PHILLIP CATHOLIC CHURCH (CIRCA 1847) Mt. Vernon St. Phillip the Apostle was designated as the patron saint for a group of German Catholics who met here to pray in a small log chapel. More than one hundred fifty years ago, their church was dedicated on September 12, 1847. Membership has grown to more than 700 families. ST. FRANCIS XAVIER (CIRCA 1886) Poseyville St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church has been at its present site since the late summer of 1887, when the original building was completed. Reverend Francis B. Luebermann, of Mt. Vernon, traveled to Poseyville in 1885 and encouraged Catholic and non- Catholic businessmen that the site was ideal for a new church. An acre of ground was bought from Miss Amelia Endicott for $500 in April 1886. A great celebration was held on September 17, 1877, for the dedication. The completed cost: $4,100. St. Francis' first bell, which still can be heard ringing over the area, was purchased from Stuckst- ede & Company in August 1889. ST. STEPHENS EPISCOPAL CHURCH (CIRCA 1840'S) New Harmony St. Stephen's Parish was ad- mitted to the Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the State of Indiana in 1942. In November 1853, the present site selected for first Episcopal Church building on the corner of North Street. The building was dedicated in June 1855. In Septem- ber 1911, the cornerstone was laid for the present St. Stephen's. The site was donated by Mary Mum- ford Thrall in memory of Eloise Mumford Claiborne. CONTINUED ON PAGE 35 Coming Home to Our Irish Roots FESTIVAL Sunday, June 26 • Noon-5pm 800 East 500 South, Corning, Indiana • Daviess County Tours of Curran House & Celtic Hall www.corningheritagecenter.com FOOD • ENTERTAINMENT • FELLOWSHIP • GENEOLOGY ASSISTANCE CORNING IRISH HERITAGE CENTER 10529 S. Church St., Stendal (812) 536-4598 www.st-peters-lutheran.com Vacation Bible School K-6th grade • June 13-16 • 6-8:30 p.m. Fourth of July Reunion, Cookout and Ice Cream Social July 4 • 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday School: 9:00 a.m. Sunday Worship: 10:15 a.m. St. Peters Lutheran Church (LCMC) CHRIST IN OUR COMMUNITY YEARS OF SERVING

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