The Ellis County Press: Trustees donate century old church to Italy for museum

Trustees donate century old church to Italy for museum
================================================================================
Editor on 06/12/2003 00:00:00


SHERRY LONG
The Ellis County Press
ITALY - The First Christian Church, a century-old structure on Poplar Street,
will soon become known as the new Italy Historical Museum.
City council members unanimously approved the acquisition of the church from
trustees during a special May 22 meeting.
In fear of the old structure being demolished or vandalized, church trustees
asked city leaders if they would like to acquire the church to house a city
museum.
'They thought it would be beneficial to the city,' said Shana Miller, interim
city administrator.
Mayor Frank Jackson said the city has been looking to establish a historical
preservation society and open a museum to house historic artifacts from the
city's past.
'Good for the town. Good for tourism.
'We (the city) have a lot of historic memorabilia and need a place to put it,'
said Jackson.
'I can't think of a better place than the church.'
Built in the mid-1800s, the church is in good condition, with only the roof
needing to be replaced and interior needing a fresh coat of paint.
The roof will be restored to its original appearance with bids being accepted
after the final paperwork has been completed.
The city currently has old documents, photos, an old turn-of-the-century
typewriter and other history-related articles, stored in the police building.
Within the next year, work should be completed on the new museum and opened for
visitors, said Jackson.
Persons interested in serving on a citywide historical preservation committee or
donating items to be displayed in the museum can contact Miller at 972-483-7329.