The Peru Gazette

Over the past few weeks work has been completed to improve drainage around the Peru Community Church. This is what the site looked like two weeks ago.

By Adele Douglas

Between the water coming off State Rte 22 B and the water coming off the roof, the foundation of the Peru Community Church was wet for a long time causing a number of problems. The Board of Trustees has been working to fix these problems and this fall work began to improve drainage. Because of the historic nature of the building the Trustees wanted to make sure whoever worked on it had relevant experience. They’ve been very pleased with the work of Derek Hackett of Hackett’s Masonry in Plattsburgh and his willingness to work within a tight budget. When Derek started to dig along the Church’s foundation on the north side he found that it had started to wear away. With the approval of the Peru Community Church Board he poured a below-gade concrete wall to stabilize the existing foundation. He then completed the trench and laid the drainpipe to lead water to the town’s storm water collection system at the junction of Rte 22 B and Elm St. The trench was filled with gravel and the site was regraded and seeded.

Close-up view of the below-grade supporting wall, drainage pipe and gravel in the trench dug alongside the north side of the Church.

A similar drain pipe was laid on the the south side of the Church, but starting at the front of the building, not along the side. New gutters and a vapor barrier in the crawl space are projects still to be completed.

Trustee Michael Moore also explained the projects have already been completed including asbestos removal and replacement of beams in the crawl space which were also weakened by water damage.

Crawl space under the Church, sporting new supports and several new beams. It is very airy and dry there now.

Built in 1833 as the Peru Congregational Church this building is one of only two in Peru that is on the National Register of Historic Places, the other is Valcour Island Lighthouse. The National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.

The same builder, Robert York Sr., built the three story stone building located on town property (formally Heyworth Village) across Rte 22 as a woolen mill for George Heyworth in 1836. Thanks to excellent workmanship and maintenance both are still in great shape.