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Authored by Society president George Meiser IX |
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A Birdsboro landmark now under attack
==================================== Early this morning, two phone calls were received regarding the St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Birdsboro. The first caller informed us that "they’re tearing out the stained glass windows; the bell was removed yesterday." The 2nd called stated that "there’s sawing and loud hammering noises coming from the church. What in God‘s name are they doing?" You who have been receiving News-Bits for some time might recall that back in August we expressed concern that someone might acquire the building and repaint the interior, which, it’s alleged, contains the only unaltered church interior designed by the world famous Philadelphia architect, Frank Furness. It still has the original interior paint decoration from the 1880’s renovation. Professor Jeffrey Cohen, who teaches at Bryn Mawr and who co-authored a massive book that details all known Furness structures, states that St. Michael’s probably is the lone surviving example of a Furness church EXterior. Accordingly, the great man designed everything about the church, inside and out. According to neighbors and "others," some furniture, the bell, and the magnificent stained glass windows are being taken "for safe keeping." The huge Tiffany window, on the south side, has already been removed. Someone on a ladder, on the north side, was using a hammer and chisel, wildly struggling to hack away the wood framing that supports the circular stained glass window on the aforementioned north side. Sawing and splintering noises could be heard inside, as all the doors were standing open. One wonders what was happening. Incidentally, visitors to the property were not cordially invited inside for a look around! It’s a true tragedy that Birdsboro, Berks, and the state has lost an architectural masterpiece of this magnitude. It’s rare that something designed and built nearly 125 years ago survived this long without alteration. In times past, architects and their students often came to Birdsboro--from all over the state and beyond--to see this structure which was put on the National Register of Historic Places in the 1980’s. The Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem acquired St. Michael’s by default when it was closed down because of dwindling attendance. Check this web-site for more information on Furness (pronounced Furnace, like the stove in a cellar):-- http://www.upenn.edu/gsfa/archives/majorcollections/furness/furness.ht ml (Note: the address above must be on one line to have it open.) We understand that the Reading Eagle Company sent a reporter and photographer to the site today, in which case locals will want to get an Eagle tomorrow. Those outside the area can see how the story is handled by checking the Eagle on-line: http://www.readingeagle.com If only Edward Brooke, who knew Furness and had him design his residence and St. Michael’s in Birdsboro, were around to see what his philanthropy has come to. He felt strongly that Birdsboro should have the best--and paid $12,000 around 1885 to have the church re-done. For the record, $12,000 in terms of 2003 dollars is approx. $227,800. 
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