Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Dean Wallace and company used modern materials and applied mathematical formulas to expertly mimic the arc of the church's round ceiling. The resulting shiplap covering and woodgrain arch perfectly frames the ceiling's dome shape.
This photo illustrates how different the Stavanger Church ceiling looked when the ceiling tiles were removed to reveal the dome ceiling above.
The Eddy County Museum and Historical Society is happy to announce that the renovations to the Stavanger Church ceiling and walls are complete.
This milestone comes after more than two years of planning, fundraising and coordination on the part of museum volunteers and board members.
Today the Stavanger Church building serves as a gathering space for events and meetings and houses collections of books, documents, religious artifacts and military items.
The museum hired local contractor Dean Wallace to repair the roof. In accessing the condition of the ceiling, Wallace removed the acoustic tiles from the damaged drop ceiling in the church's interior, revealing the original dome ceiling constructed with plaster and lathe.
It was unknown when the drop ceiling was installed, but what was evident was that the plaster and lathe were in no condition to be exposed. The Historical Society made plans to preserve the integrity of the dome ceiling by installing shiplap along its contours, which would effectively seal the plaster and lathe from further damage.
Wallace began work on the ceiling late this fall, and finished up just at the start of the new year.
The next step is for museum volunteers to reintegrate the displays in the church and prepare the museum for a great season in 2021.
The Stavanger Church was originally constructed and dedicated on Oct. 28, 1909 and served the rural population near Cathay for over 70 years. After it closed in July of 1983, the Church arrived at its new home on the Eddy County Museum grounds on Oct. 20, 1984. The church is essential to the Eddy County Museum's efforts to collect, display and preserve historical artifacts from the area and serves as a cultural marker to the rural communities of and around Eddy County.
The Historical Society's plan to preserve the integrity of the dome ceiling was made possible by donations from museum supporters. Thousands of dollars worth of donations poured in from current and former residents and local organizations, and additional support came from the Eddy County Commission.
The Eddy County Museum and Historical Society is led by Amy Wobbema, Janet Heskin, Sandy O'Connor, Rachel Brazil, Calvin Packard, Tim Hartl, Patty Hilbert, Nancy Ludwig and Merita Aldayel. There are a couple of open positions on the board, and residents interested in preserving history are encouraged to join us. Our next meeting is Monday, January 18 at noon. Call Amy at (701) 947-2417 for the Zoom link.
