SALADO, Texas — The Old Church Place was set to be torn down in Salado but now it has a chance at a new life.
Dating back to 1875, The Old Church Place serves as the perfect example of the rich history that lives in Salado and that's why the Historical Society of Salado has set out to preserve it.
A gala, live and silent auction has raised close to $67-thousand to put toward the effort of keeping it around.
"I think people need to know it's important to save," Beverly Turnbo the Vice President of the Salado Historical Society said.
The original church burned down in 1908 and after being rebuilt it was moved to the location it's at today in 1943.
It hasn't acted as a church since 1961 and has sat vacant for awhile. Members of the historical society said it is so important to preserve because it's a representation of the first pioneers that helped to build the Village of Salado.
A note from the Historical Society:
The Salado Historical Society (SHS) has undertaken a new project to move the historic Old Church Place at 226 N. Main Street to a site behind the Civic Center and renovate it for use by the community.
SHS has raised the funds needed to move the building and do limited repairs to the interior.
However, a handicapped restroom, storeroom and break room need to be added to the interior and both interior and exterior work needs to be done.
The Gala and Auction will be the only SHS community fundraiser in 2024 to raise money to make the building usable for the community.
In the 44 years that the SHS has been in existence, this is the only time since 1991 that the Historical Society has ever asked for donations.
The live and silent auction will feature a number of rare and important works of art, including six Wilbur Foster wagons, a Sirena sculpture by Troy Kelley, a Darwin Britt built armoire, Lonnie Edwards’ chicken scratch painting, a 100-year-old bottle of Scotch, and many other fine works of art, jewelry, pottery, stays at local places, and gift baskets, etc.