The last meeting of record of the Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church was held on August 29, 1926.
The building continued to be used for occasional services, weddings, and reunions for several years. The Baptist Church used the building for young people's organizations and Sunday School.
While much of the framing is still sturdy, this historic building has been empty for several decades. Unfortunately, despite the efforts of volunteer caretakers, the Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church building has been subjected to numerous indignities. It is now in derelict condition.
The interior was vandalized during the 1970s, and the windows are now boarded up. The shutters lie rotting on the ground under the church, and the window sashes are stacked up inside. The collapse of the ceiling was prevented by two or three posts, installed years ago by concerned volunteer caretakers. Much plaster has broken free, and the walls have been defaced with graffiti.
Although many of the original pews remain, many have been taken. Gas lines for lights have been stripped for salvage. At one point, even the bell was removed from the tower. The bell has been returned in recent years, and now sits in front of the church on a pedestal.
To
the casual observer, the front and sides of the building may still appear
to be in pretty good shape. The back wall, however, is in extemely poor
condition. About thirty feet in the air, at the peak, a large hole
in the siding has allowed in owls and other birds, as well as the elements.
Rain has caused the damage to the ceiling, and, more significantly, to the bottom wall sill. Until quite recently, the two rear windows were standing open, letting in rain on the pulpit and rostrum.
The Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church building is
listed on the ALABAMA REGISTER OF LANDMARKS & HERITAGE (1990) and the
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES (1999). In 1998, the building was
listed as one of ALABAMA'S MOST ENDANGERED PLACES. Although the fate of
the building is still uncertain, there is now a concerted effort underway
to save this historic property.
NEXT Photos and Commentary
by Michael Vaughn Sims, October 2000
