Maintenance and Repairs   Beginning in 2008 and continuing into 2009 several restoration projects were undertaken at the Joseph Priestley Memorial Chapel.

We hired David Ramsey, local restoration contractor, to do this work:

• Painting of window trim, inside and out, and replacement of broken glass with 19th Century glass
• Repair of damaged window sills
• Replacement of large window above front doors with replica of the original containing 19th Century glass
• Removal of damaged flooring and replacement with tongue and groove boards similar to original

Plans for Annex – In January 2009 we hired local architect Gary Wolfe to prepare design concepts and drawings to add wheelchair access to the chapel and to construct a small annex building or resource center.  The annex will contain an accessible bathroom and a small lounge with kitchenette.  This work will draw from drawings done in 1990’s supported by the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Susquehanna Valley. 

Endowment – We are exploring the idea of creating an endowment to receive gifts to help maintain the chapel.  In 2008 we received a gift from the estate of Judith Hirshfeld.  In the past we have used legacies for chapel care left by Hannah Priestley Haskett, Annie and Jean Priestley and Frances Forsyth, daughters of Joseph Rayner Priestley, grandson of Joseph Priestley. Warren Gutelius a local publisher and historian who served as caretaker for the chapel also left a bequest in his will for chapel preservation.