HARPSWELL — The Elijah Kellogg Church is embarking on a three-year $400,000 capital campaign to raise funds to preserve its historic church on Route 123 in Harpswell Center.

Built in 1843 from a design by Brunswick architect Anthony Coombs Raymond, the Kellogg Church is an example of Greek revival architecture. Noteworthy are its beautiful doorway built by local carpenter Moses Bailey and its steeple which punctuates the Harpswell skyline, serving as a point of reference for generations of fishermen.

At the campaign kick-off brunch in April, Christopher Closs of Maine Preservation in Yarmouth presented historic information about the church to the congregation and discussed preservation procedures. He stressed that because deferred maintenance leads to structural damage, preservation is crucial to making this beautiful church available to future generations.

The Kellogg Church project will have several phases including insulating the sanctuary and parsonage; replacing rotten wood in the steeple and around the doorway and windows; and scraping and painting the outside of the church while dealing with lead-based paint. Upright Frameworks LLC will begin the first phase, the insulation project, in mid-June.

For more information on the restoration project or to learn how to support this campaign to preserve the historic church, visit the www.elijahkelloggchurch.org.

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