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May 20, 2003 News Release: Highlandlake, CO: The March blizzard may have saved the winter wheat and other crops along Colorado's Front Range, but it dealt a near-fatal blow to the historic Highlandlake Church, located a mile west of Mead. Three structural engineers have determined that the heavy snow on the church's roof caused all four walls to bow, and the entire structure to shift on its stone foundation. diagonal stress cracks are visible in the plastered walls of the sanctuary of the 107 year-old church. The engineers who inspected the church have advised members of Historic Highlandlake Church, Inc., (a non-profit organization formed to protect and preserve the church building), that if remedial reinforcement work on the structure is not performed in the next few months, the church may collapse, and at least, will be tagged as "unsafe for occupation." "Another heavy snow, or even heavy rain, could prove to be the final straw that breaks the church's back," said John Feinberg, an architectural preservationist who inspected the church in late April. Pauli Smith, a local historian and member of Historic Highlandlake Church, Inc., has written and submitted grant proposals to the State Fund, to obtain funds to pay for the rehabilitation and preservation of the church. If approved, 25 percent of those funds, or $50,000, will have to be matched by private donations. Confirmation of the storm damage comes just one month prior to the 82ns annual Highlandlake reunion, to be held on June 8, when descendants of the settlers of Highlandlake and Mead, and other interested individuals will gather to renew friendships and commemorate the church and its place in the life of the community. "Although it was used for weekly church services for only 20 years, from 1896 to 1916, this church has served as a community center for all of its 107 years," said Smith, "and it would be a shame to lose it." In addition to the annual summer reunion, the church opens its doors each December 21, for an evening service. Because the church has no central heat and only candles for light, attendees often sit huddled in their coats, in the dim light, as they sing Christmas carols, but all who attend seem to cherish the opportunity to experience an event as it would have happened, a century ago. The church is also the setting for several weddings each year, and in 1990, the church was used in the filming of the movie, DieHard II starring Bruce Willis. "A Hollywood location scout recognized the beauty and value of hour historic church as background for several of the movie scenes," said Smith, "and it would be a shame if we were to lose it for 'live' viewing by future generations." Smith said the church association should know by mid-June if they are successful in obtaining emergency funds to pay for work that would stabilize the structure, prior to the major rehabilitation project. The group will have until Oct. 1, 2003, to raise the matching funds, needed to complete the work. "We hope that we can raise the money prior to that deadline," Smith said, "because letting the contracts and getting the work done before possibly heavy autumn snows is absolutely essential to saving the church." Tax-exempt donations, payable to Historic Highlandlake Church, Inc. may be sent to: Carla Brossman - Treasurer |