At one time, rural churches dotted Indiana’s landscape—multi-purpose venues for agricultural communities who gathered for worship, meetings, events, and entertainment. Today, a diminishing number of these picturesque reminders of the state’s rural heritage survive.

Jasper County’s Independence Methodist Church in Gillam Township represents the disappearing breed and the jeopardy such structures face. The 1873 National Register-listed landmark is the oldest church building in Jasper County. Though the surrounding cemetery remains in use, the church was vacated years ago. With no organization responsible for its care, the building is threatened by a leaking roof and escalating deterioration. The situation the earned the church a spot on the Jasper County Historic Preservation Association’s list of the county’s 10 Most Endangered historic structures.

The Preservation Association’s list includes nine other county landmarks in danger of demolition or unrecoverable deterioration: 

• Hanging Grove School, State Road 114 east of Rensselaer.
• Forsythe-McMahon House, 226 East Washington Street, Rensselaer
• Remington Depot, 25 South Railroad Street in downtown Remington
• Evans Farm, 700 West and 1350 North, Keener Township
• Lake County Bridge # 2, across the Kankakee River on Jasper County Road 1200 West
• North Newton Township School, County Road 100 West at County Road 200 South, Newton Township
• Jasper County Bridge #198, crosses Carpenter Creek on North Railroad/County Road 1730 South, Remington
• Bowstring Truss Bridge, spanning the Iroquois River in Marion Township
• Hershman Log Cabin, on State Highway 10 in Walker Township

“It is important that we recognize these historic resources, the role they have played in the history of our county and the way of life of its people. Saving and reusing these historic structures will preserve and increase knowledge and understanding of our county’s history,” says Judy Kanne, president of the Historic Preservation Association.

For more information, contact Kanne, 219-866-7825 or ja@nwiis.com.