Answered Prayers

In Poland, a small community in western Indiana’s Clay County, the 1869 Poland Historical Chapel has not functioned as an active house of worship for nearly a century, but appreciation for its heritage spurred a dedicated local effort to save the tiny church and, more recently, invest in its future—with a bit of assistance from Indiana Landmarks.

In 1866, fourteen local residents formed the Poland Presbyterian Church, completing construction of an attractive small church building in 1869. Sixty years later, when dwindling membership caused the congregation to disband, a small local group formed to maintain the church as a community chapel. In 1967, in conjunction with Indiana’s sesquicentennial, the Poland Chapel Historical Society formed to take over stewardship of the landmark. Over the decades, the group has maintained the chapel and its adjoining cemetery, which gained listing in the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

In 2009, tragedy struck when an arson fire badly damaged the landmark, blackening the interior. The historical society rallied, raising $100,000 and a crew of volunteers to re-wire, repaint, and replaster the chapel interior, and restore its original pews.

Photo by Noah Nobbe

In early 2024, the Poland Chapel Historical Society reached out to Indiana Landmarks for help addressing additional rehabilitation needs, including serious deterioration of the chapel’s floor system. Indiana Landmarks recommended the group for a $10,000 grant from the Efroymson Family Fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation, which—coupled with donations and funds on hand—allowed the Poland Chapel Historical Society to complete structural work on the floor system along with additional repairs.

With the chapel building structurally sound again, the group is now focused on preparations for seasonal events and programs.

Follow the group’s progress on its Facebook page, Poland Historical Chapel.