Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1913 — RESTORE OLD MEETING HOUSE [ARTICLE]

RESTORE OLD MEETING HOUSE

Bouth Structure in Boston Has Its Ancient Features Again After Paint Is Washed Off.

Boston, Mass. —If those British dragoons who sailed away from Boston 137 years ago could return to the scenes of their riding exploits they would probably recognize the Old South meeting house as it has emerged today from beneath the drab paint of nearly a century. The historic edifice was built in 1726 of red brick, but for some' reason which does not appear on its records the outside walls were painted in the spring of 1816. The meeting house narrowly escaped destruction in the big fire of 1872 as well as a few years later, when an association was hurriedly formed to prevent its being supplanted by a business block. The success which attended the efforts of the state in bringing out the ancieqt features of the old statehouse, farther down Washington street, by washing -off the paint prompted the 'Old South association to follow, and the last trace of paint was removed.