By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

Concerned that one of Epsom's most visible historic structures - the 1864 building that houses the Epsom Bible Church and Cornerstone Academy - is in danger of demolition, a group of volunteers has recently thought up a tentative solution.

During a May selectman's meeting, representatives from the church warned Epsom town officials that Cumberland Farms had expressed interest in purchasing the site. The company's plan, said the church's pastor, John Spring, was to replace the building with a gas station/convenience store.

With the church's congregation slated to move into a newly built church on Blackhall Road by year's end and the possibility of the sale to Cumberland Farms, the building's future has since been in doubt.

A group of volunteers formed after that meeting, the Save the Church Committee, think they may have found a solution . one that would move the building across Blackhall Road, on state land adjacent to Route 4.

Harvey Harkness, committee member and president of the Epsom Historical Association, said he's hopeful about the new new plan, originally hatched by committee member Dick Frambach.

"If we're able to do this, we could save that structure for a future generation," said Harkness. "And we see practicality in this proposal."

At the May meeting, selectmen, along with representatives of the community and the church, discussed moving the building 0.6 miles to the site of the old town offices. An estimate presented by a church representatives showed a cost of $50,000. Selectmen expressed concern that the amount would exceed the financial limits of the town's remaining budget.

Harkness said the new plan would be much cheaper on the capital side, as fewer wires would need to be removed, and the new site would allow plenty of room for the historic structure.

The proposed new site was deeded to the state when Route 4 was expanded several years ago. Harkness said an assessor from the state was recently scheduled to visit the property.

Selectman Jay Hickey, another committee member, stressed that the plan is only tentative, and that the group is considering other options.

"One of the goals of the committee is to find a place within a reasonable distance," Hickey said. "This would be enough space; but we can't be sure about anything yet.

Hickey said the committee is also considering moving the structure to a temporary site until a permanent one becomes available.

Though no plan is in place, the small committee has already gotten some encouragement from interested preservationists throughout the state. At their last meeting, the committee was joined by Steve Lindsey, who worked to save two 1830s brick buildings in Keene by moving them to new sites.

Lindsey said the committee is facing a monumental challenge.

"We started with nothing," said Lindsey, who helped raise $60,000 to move the Keene buildings. "These guys are working from ground zero with a huge task in front of them."

Lindsey, who said he loves to "fire people up" about community preservation efforts, added that the committee should advertise its goals to the community.

"The fight for preservation is a fight for finding a place of solid ground for everyone in the community," said Lindsey. "These guys need to just have the courage of their conviction, and once people see that, they'll follow."

The next Save the Church Committee meeting will be on Tuesday, July 19, at 7 p.m., at the old town offices. Harkness said anyone interested is welcome to attend.