Hello Family and Friends of the Benton Red Church and Cemetery!

 

We are planning a work day in May to clean up the cemetery and start the clean-up of the church building. The date is Saturday, May 15, from 10:00 to 5:00. The rain date will be the following Saturday, May 22. The church building will be open for tours and all of the Board Members will be there to answer questions. Please stop by if you can!

We have gathered a lot of information regarding the church roof. We were hopeful that the corrugated steel panels on the roof would be in fair condition. However, upon inspection, it was determined that the roof had been neglected too long. We have requested bids from area roofing companies. The cost for the church roof, the steeple roof, and eaves and gutters is going to be around $20,000. We hope to raise the funds by the end of the summer.

We are also gathering information on the restoration of the interior of the church. We are meeting with area restoration folk to get all the information and advice we can. However, we have a long way to go before we can tackle the inside!

We are working hard on the Raise the Roof Campaign. We believe that we cannot say that we have saved the Red Church until the roofs are fixed, the eaves and gutters repaired, the doors fixed or replaced and the mold is removed. So we will continue our efforts to seek help from others who want to save this historic old church too. Thank you so much for those who have helped already! Please donate if you can.
Send donations to:
Save the Red Church Fund
Benton State Bank
42 West Main St.
PO Box 27
Benton WI 53803.
Please note that the donations designated for the cemetery upkeep are kept separate. We are a non-for-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible.

Donations are also being accepted on our GoFundMe Page at Save The Benton Red Brick Church

This property is very important. It is a historical sacred space and it is vital part of our cultural landscape. We have a vision of a well-kept cemetery and church building that provides a place for visitors to enjoy the sacred space and to connect to their community’s past and to honor and respect those who have passed. The Red Church must not be lost. It must be returned to its proud place in the community and continue to serve the people of Benton!