Uinta County grant will fund assessment and repairs to 1901 church, speakers say

Uinta County’s certified local government was selected as a recipient of a historic-preservation grant to stabilize a church built in 1901, speakers said during a community presentation. "This church is just invaluable," said Speaker 1, a parishioner, describing baptisms, weddings and funerals held there across generations.

A staff member involved with the grant process, identified in the transcript as Speaker 2, said the county applied "through our office," that "the grants are available every January," and that the application was reviewed by a grant panel before the county was chosen as "one of the lucky recipients." Speaker 2 said staff conduct site visits to "actually see the building and see the actual issues that are going on" and noted that original historic materials must be treated differently than modern materials.

Speakers described both the building’s long history and immediate structural concerns. Several speakers said the church has been in place since about 1901 and that a lodge was added roughly seven years later and at one time served as a boarding school and briefly as a hospital. Parishioners and local advocates said custodians have tried to maintain the property but lack the resources and technical know-how to address foundational and material-specific problems. "We didn't even know where to begin," Speaker 6 said; Speaker 6 added that consultant Janssen provided expertise and a roadmap for repairs.

Conservation priorities identified by speakers include preserving both the structural masonry and a large stained-glass window on the building’s façade, and addressing damage from water and biological growth. Speaker 7, an individual who discussed technical treatment, explained how masonry is both a structural element and an aesthetic finish and described recommended repairs and cleaning approaches for damaged areas.

Officials and parishioners framed the grant as an initial step toward longer-term preservation. "If we want to carry this feature another hundred and 25 years into the future, it's really important... to take those first initial steps and do a good job," Speaker 3 said. Speaker 1 thanked architects and grant writers for their help, saying outside expertise "is gonna make all the difference in the world."

Staff urged other owners of historic buildings to seek help: Speaker 2 said the office is willing to perform site visits and provide guidance even when a grant is not being sought. The presentation concluded with repeated emphasis on using qualified historic-construction expertise to diagnose problems, preserve character-defining features and plan repairs so the building can continue to serve the community.