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Home : Quarterly Archives : Volume 24 |
Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society |
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Source: July 1986 Volume 24 Number 3, Pages 105–110 Historic Paoli Landmark Saved The old Paoli Library building, at one time slated for possible demolition with the availability of new, larger, modern facilities for the Paoli Library, has been saved and moved to a new location, adjacent to the Paoli Presbyterian Church. For nearly one hundred years the historic building in the heart of Paoli served the community well, as a house of worship, as the Town Hall and center of civic activity, and as a place of study. As noted in the previous issue of the Quarterly and in Mary Eachus' recollections in this issue, the 93-year old building on Darby Road was originally a "Mission Sabbath School" of the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Berwyn. It was built in 1893 by Otto Palmer for $715. For seven years, from 1899 to 1906, it served as the chapel for the newly-formed Paoli Presbyterian Church. In 1907 it became the Town Hall, and three years later a library was started in a corner of the Hall. The building was re-purchased by the Church last spring for $1200 after a commitee, headed by William Riggs, was formed to raise funds for its move and restoration. While the project was initiated by the Church, it is hoped that the restoration of the landmark will be a true community effort. After restoration, it is, planned to have the old Chapel available to the community not only for weddings and funerals but also for public meetings, "a living piece of Paoli's history". The move was made under the supervision of Ted Horner, a building mover from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. For the move, the frame building was raised from its foundations and put onto two steel girders resting on three sets of wheels. Text continued on page 110
Ready to be moved
Going down Lancaster Pike
Turning into Leopard Road
Replacing wires
Following the moving building
Passing by St. Norbert's
Waiting on Devon Road
Working on wires again
Pruning trees on South Valley Road
Going down South Valley Road
Passing by the new Church On April 14 it was then pulled by a diesel tractor to its new site. Several hundred spectators followed in its wake a sit went east down the Lancaster Pike to Leopard Road, south on Leopard Road to Darby Road, then up Darby Road and Devon Road to South Valley Road, and down South Valley Road to the church property at the corner of Waynesborough Road. Personnel from the electric, telephone, and cable TV companies were on hand to move wires and cables temporarily to make room for the building to pass by, while the police cooperated to direct traffic down other roads as the 29-feet wide one-room structure literally filled the roads from side to side. The move, which started at about 9:15 in the morning, went fairly routinely until the intersection of Devon Road and South Valley Road was reached. But from there on it went quite slowly, as tree experts had to be called in for pruning and to cut off branches overhanging the road. The old chapel finally reached its new location late in the afternoon after an almost seven-hour journey to travel the one mile or so distance. Tax-deductible contributions for the restoration of the building and to establish a maintenance fund for it can be made to The Presbyterian Church Chapel Fund, 225 South Valley Road, Paoli, Pa. 19301.
The Chapel in its new location |
