Historic Altamonte Chapel along SR 436 ‘desperately needs' restoration
The small chapel — with white clapboard siding and bell tower steeple — is like a piece of a picturesque New England town tucked amid the cars, offices and fast-food joints along busy State Road 436.
First built in 1885, the Altamonte Chapel near Forest Avenue in Altamonte Springs is one of the oldest structures in Seminole County. Former presidents Benjamin Harrison and Grover Cleveland attended services in the chapel.
But now its prominent bell — rung countless times by pulling a long rope during weddings and Sunday services over decades — is on the verge of collapse. The steeple needs to be replaced. And the chapel, showing its age, needs serious renovation, according to its owners.
To maintain the chapel's historic character, the restoration would require a meticulous and careful process likely to cost tens of thousands of dollars, according to members of the Altamonte Chapel's Board of Directors.
The group recently started seeking bids from contractors. It also set up a GoFundMe account — titled 'Save the Altamonte Chapel Bell' — to raise $50,000 toward the project.
'It's such an iconic piece of our history,' said Tammy Snook Quezada, the board's vice president. 'We just can't let this bell tower go without repair. It would be a travesty. We have an obligation to the community to keep it in its original condition.'
The chapel was originally constructed farther northwest near Lake Brantley by a Boston architect. Church services were attended by New Englanders who either settled in the area and grew citrus or visited during the winter months.
After a hard freeze in 1895 destroyed many of the groves, many of the settlers moved away. One of the original owners offered the chapel to Rollins College.
In 1905, a group of men bought it from the school for $600, cleared out the overgrown underbrush and weeds, dismantled the chapel and moved it in a wagon nearly five miles to its current location. Church services have been held ever since — first during the winter months, later extended to year round.
Today, Crosspointe Church of Altamonte Springs holds services in the small chapel, which is barely 1,200 square feet. It is also used for baptisms, memorial services and weddings.
The bell, however, has never been refurbished, 'so it needs to be cleaned,' and the tower needs to be rebuilt 'the sooner the better,' Quezada said.
'Once you go inside, you understand the value of this chapel,' she said. 'The wood is original. It's just glorious.'
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