Thank You for Supporting Our Roof Restoration!
The Chapel has a New Cedar Shake Roof!
Boehm’s Chapel has stood on the hill overlooking the Boehm homestead since 1791. It has weathered more than two centuries of everything nature could throw at it – rain, snow, hail, sun and wind. The wind especially always seems to whistle around the Chapel and blow through the oak trees in the cemetery.
For the Board of the Boehm’s Chapel Society, those harsh weather conditions meant making some costly but necessary repairs to the roof. Repairs had been made in 2022, but the workers told us the roof was running out of time. Starting in 2023, the Board began discussing the replacement of the roof.
A fund-raising drive to replace the roof was started with profits from the sale of apple butter that was made at the Boehm’s UMC Fall Festival in October 2023, from funds collected during the ExtraGive in November 2023, and from donations from Society members.
Progress was being made, but it was slow until First UMC Lancaster surprised us with a donation of $19,000, which got us closer to the latest post-pandemic estimate of $35,600 (much less than the original estimate of $60,000). What got us over the top was a $6,000 matching gift challenge in early March from an anonymous couple who are members of the Society. Byerland Mennonite Church (a nearby church with historic connections) donated $1,000. Other donors also responded to the challenge, and we surpassed the goal by $500!
Work on the roof started on March 14, 2024, and was finished the following week. Work was done under mostly sunny skies and unseasonably warm temperatures. Peter McCord, (son of Board Treasurer, Lynn McCord) used his drone to give us a bird’s eye view of the work.
The change in the look of the new roof compared to the new roof is startling! The old roof, which was put on in 1991 when the Chapel was restored, was in its last days and had aged to a dark color in its nearly 33 years of protecting the Chapel from the elements.
Thank you to everyone who supported our efforts for the new roof, whether through your prayers, gifts, or service!
Views of the New Roof (scroll to see all, click for larger view)
Condition of the Chapel Roof before Roof Replacement
Ongoing Maintenance Work at the Chapel
During the spring and summer of 2022, workers were busy painting the wood on the exterior of the Chapel, sealing its stones and replacing bundles of shingles that have rotted or blown off the roof. Two rotted outside sills were repaired before painting.
In 2023 we needed to stain the Tying Shed to keep it looking beautiful and weather-resistant.
In 2024 we are planning to set up a Wi-Fi connection in the Chapel to allow Internet connectivity during weddings and other events. Work will be carefully done so as not to disturb the historic look of the Chapel.
To say the least, we appreciate all that so many of you have donated over the years to carry on the ministry of the Chapel.
Support Boehm's Chapel Ongoing Maintenance
Make a donation towards our ongoing maintenance efforts so that more people, like you, can experience the historic beauty of Boehm’s Historic Chapel. Thank you for your support!