First Presbyterian Church in Wetumpka, which stood for 162 years before being destroyed in a January 2019 tornado, completed a complete rebuild this year.
The new structure looks identical to what existed before, with its painted white wood siding and its trademark green shutters on the windows.
According to reporting from WSFA, the first worship services were held inside the reconstructed sanctuary on August 23, and a special event to acknowledge the two year anniversary of the tornado is being planned for January 19, 2021.
The tornado that leveled the original was an EF-2 level storm that arrived on January 19, 2019, devastating a wide swath of Wetumpka.
The original First Presbyterian was built in 1856, at a cost of $2,300. It was constructed with a Gothic-style exterior and Greek Revival interior.
First Presbyterian was added to the national register of historic places in 1976.
The rebuilding of First Presbyterian has proceeded at a steady pace over the last year. The new steeple was installed in early May, which Pastor Jason Yarboro told AlabamaNewsNetwork is “probably the most iconic part of the aesthetic of the church.”
Work continued on the interior of the building over the ensuing months. Every effort was made to stay faithful to the original look of the building.
“Wonderful to have this landmark back in place!!” wrote one Wetumpka resident in a Facebook comment on a picture of the rebuilt church.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
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