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Methodist Parsonage Comes Down
A mold problem that couldn't be fixed
August 18, 2009

T
he walls — along with the dormers and roof — of the Methodist Church parsonage came tumbling down in late July. If you live in Oriental it was a familiar sight on walks along the river. Visitors will recall the parsonage property as the location of the popular fish fries during the Croaker Festival.
The parsonage of the Methodist Church moments before its roof is taken down.
Curbside seating on South Avenue to watch the Methodist parsonage come down on the last day or July.

The brick-faced home, built more than a half century ago, was said to have a mold problem that couldn’t be fixed. The church hired Fran Law of Broad Creek Construction to take the building down.

The scene a few days earlier.

The structure wasn’t simply razed in a day. Whatever could be salvaged from the inside — windows, doors, floorboards — was removed and sent off to Habitat for Humanity. Shrubs were scooped out and held aside for a transplant at a Habitat home in Bayboro. The process of salvage and knockdown took several days.

The familiar doorway.
..and from the inside looking out on Lou-Mac Park and the Neuse River.

More photos….

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The living room and fireplace. The mantlepiece was among the items salvaged.
..and staircase leading to the dormered upstairs.
Most of the interior of the parsonage — floor planks, doors, windows had been removed and given to Habitat for Humanity.
But not the kitchen’s cabinets.

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Before the demolition began on Thursday, July 30, shrubs were spared. With the controls of the excavator, Jim Cuthrell scooped them up and set them aside for transplanting at a Habitat for Humanity Home in Bayboro.
With all that was to be salvaged taken away, the job of razing the structure began. The first order of business — knocking off the bricks. At left is Fran Law of Broad Creek Construction.
The porch on the Freemason Street side of the parsonage was next to go.
Within an hour, all the bricks had been knocked off the parsonage, seen here thru some glass shelves that had been set aside.

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On Friday, a mantelpiece salvaged from the living room fireplace framed the scene just before the final knockdown.
A sign on the side of the building advertised “Coming Down 1:30”. At 1:30 precisely, the excavator was fired up and spent a quarter hour bringing the roof down.
The excavator worked counter-clockwise around the building.
Only the Carolina blue cabinet gave a hint of what was once the kitchen.

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Kirk Nelson, who lives on a neighboring lot, watches as more of the first story is clawed away.
James Cuthrell assesses what to strike next.
The final seconds…

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Across South Avenue, Abe, Neil, Ruby and Cooper watched intently.
.. and had questions for James when he took a pause in the work and walked across the street. It was, he confirmed, fun.
James Cuthrell, whose cap bill acquired some insect casings from the park.
A peak of the roof rested on the ground for a little while longer.

Posted Tuesday August 18, 2009 by Melinda Penkava


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