FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

'Old Rugged Cross' site in Cass County now on Historic Register

By DEBRA HAIGHT, The Herald-Palladium

July 1, 2002 -- POKAGON, MICH. --The church building where the Rev. George Bennard's hymn "The Old Rugged Cross" was first sung publicly in its entirety is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

The register is a listing of nearly 75,000 historic sites, districts, buildings, structures and objects of significance in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering and culture.  It contains seven other Cass County sites and 19 Berrien County sites.

The Pokagon church's addition to the register is the result of work done over the last four years by The Old Rugged Cross Foundation.  Members have gotten the old church listed on state and national registries as well as an "Official Project of Save America's Treasures" and have worked already to preserve the former church building itself.

"This listing is a high honor and recognizes the importance of this site in the broad pattern of our history," foundation board Chairman Dr. Melchizedek Ponniah said.  The Old Rugged Cross Foundation is a multi-denominational, non-profit, all-volunteer organization managing the restoration of the original church.

"Since 1998, supporters in 38 states and four countries have given financial gifts to help with the restoration of this important location," Ponniah said.  "This broad support reflects the enduring appreciation of the timeless hymn nearly 90 years after it was first performed in Pokagon.

"This structure is truly an international treasure that belongs to all who have been moved by this hymn's message of hope and faith," he said.  "We are honored to be the stewards of this sacred place."

The hymn came to be finished and first sung publicly here because Bennard was in Pokagon to help the pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Pokagon in a series of revival meetings.  Bennard is the author of more than 300 hymns but is best known for "The Old Rugged Cross".

He had been working on the hymn for some time and finished it while he was in the village for the meetings.  He performed it in the church, playing his guitar, and then witnessed it being performed by the church choir, accompanied by an organist and violinist, from his penciled notes.

The church was built in 1862 as a 28 x 60 foot hops barn.  It was sold in 1876 to the local Methodist Episcopal congregation, which previously met in homes.   The congregation took out a $3,000 loan to renovate the barn into a church, adding painted glass windows, a large brass bell, and a two-story addition for a kitchen and Sunday school classrooms.

In 1915, two years after the hymn was first sung there, the congregation bought the Baptist church across the street and sold the old church to a local farmer who returned it to its original barn status.  It fell into a state of disrepair before it was purchased in 1998 by a local couple who donated it to the current Pokagon United Methodist Church.

The restoration work since 1998 has included creating a park next to the old church and raising money to save and start restoring the old church building to its 1913 condition.

Foundation treasurer Molly Shaffer said the foundation already has raised and invested $135,000 in the project to save the building from collapsing.  Deteriorated beams have been replaced, a temporary steel roof has been installed to protect the building from the elements, and the entire building has been straightened, leveled and braced.

She estimated that the entire restoration project will take $1.9 million.   The foundation is now looking to raise $237,000 by next spring so that the building can be moved temporarily to an adjacent lot.  If it is moved, a new  foundation can be poured on its original site, electrical and plumbing work can be completed, and a basement community room built.

Shaffer hopes the church building's addition to the National Register of Historic Places, as well as the foundation's buying the building back from the Pokagon UMC will help the foundation get grants for the restoration.

"We had hoped that in the past with the other honors, but the word 'church' throws people off," she said.  "It falls between the cracks because it's not an active church with missions and, on the other side, other groups say they don't give to churches.

"Hopefully this will give us more recognition and will emphasize that this is a historic preservation project," Shaffer said.  "Anything that makes people more aware helps.  We know that the funds are out there and we hope to get more people interested."

When the project is done, foundation members envision the church building as being a museum and a place that is available for weddings and other special services.   In the meantime, people are welcome to visit the site anytime by calling 616-68l3-4540 to arrange a tour.  People are also invited to the annual celebration Sept 14 and 15.

The old church and gardens are on Vermont Street, just a block off Pokagon Highway in Pokagon, between Niles and Dowagiac.

More information is available on the web site, www.the-oldruggedcross.com.   Contributions can be sent to the foundation at PO Box 41, Niles, MI  49120