The Church Restoration Continues

Together we can return our church to its stately presence on the hill
and renew the spirit of our community

And we are on our way! The bell tower restoration of the Sedgwick First Baptist Church (c. 1837) was completed on November 10th, 2023. Stage 1 began in 2020 with the rebuilding of the main truss that supports the steeple on the west side. This year, we completed Stage 2 and restored the three parts of the steeple—the plinth, the box tower, and the belfry.

The plinth was partially resheathed and flashed and was completely painted and caulked. The box tower was restored and resheathed, flashed, caulked, and painted. The old belfry was removed and demolished and replaced with a new belfry replicating as close as possible the original Benjamin S. Deane design.

The new dome is sheathed in copper and painted with gold paint. The original weathervane is also painted with gold paint. The bell is back in place.

Outstanding restoration details will be completed from the inside of the building as weather permits.

See photos and videos of the construction process.

  • The First Sedgwick Baptist Church in 1947

    1947

  • Old Church steeple

    1992

  • Refinished steeple

    2023

With our gratitude and appreciation

We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to the success of this project. We could not have done it without your generous support!

Chris Baker on the church scaffold stairs

Our heartfelt thanks to Chris Baker

We owe an incredible debt of gratitude to Chris Baker, longtime Sedgwick resident, visual artist, and Chair of the Church Restoration Project. Chris has been involved in this project for many years, working extensively with the SBHS leadership in the early days to formulate, design, and organize plans for the restoration. His vision has given shape and substance to the planning process and the development of the 5-Stage Restoration Plan. Chris not only manages every aspect of the restoration process but is also the lead carpenter. He works tirelessly finding, vetting, and coordinating resources. He makes sure the project is done to the highest quality, on time and under budget. Rain or shine, Chris has been a daily presence at the church through every stage of the restoration. The beautifully restored church that we see now, could not have happened without the dedication, commitment, and passion of Chris Baker.

Thank you to our suppliers, carpenters, helpers and sub-contractors

Bangor Steel Services, Bangor
BHD Containers, Blue Hill
Hammond Lumber, Blue Hill
New England Scaffold, Auburn
Owen Gray and Son, Millwork, Brewer
Ray Brown Plumbing, Ellsworth
Rick Brown Carpentry, Brooklin
Robert Baird and Associates
Roof Systems of Maine, Bangor
Viking Lumber, Blue Hill

Steve Allen
Chris Baker
Robert Baird
Jonathan Boardman
Rick Brown
Rob Cowart
Aiden Doughty
Kaelen Doughty
Dave Hazelton
Mark Owens

We’re Restoring History – Join us!

We invite you to visit our historic church at 35 High Street, Sedgwick and see the progress we’ve made so far.

While we’ve accomplished a great deal over the past few years, the restoration is not yet complete. We still need your support.

For more information, to request a presentation about the restoration, or to make a donation, please contact Anne Dentino at 207-266-1130 or info@sedgwickbrooklinhistorical.org

Portico and scaffolding during church renovation
Front view of exterior of renovated church

Get Involved!

Every generation has to play its part and restoring the church will be the very best way that our generation can play our part in ensuring a bright future for the town we love.
– Paul Sullivan, Musician

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