NEWS
Restoration Revives Historic Mt. Ayr Church
Dedicated local efforts repurpose a former house of worship for community use.
Amazing Revival
The tiny town of Mt. Ayr (pop. 115) has a tidy central park, a local museum, and scenic views of rural Newton County. In spite of its small size, the town also claims a hefty preservation presence in the form of a proactive and dedicated group that recently completed rehabilitation of a modest c.1898 former Baptist church.
The property ceased serving as a church many years ago, and as disuse and lack of maintenance took their toll, the building became a local eyesore. Hoping to improve its condition and revive it for community use, town council member Howard Marshall championed the purchased the property in 2022 and contacted Indiana Landmarks for advice on next steps for the structure.
Supported by an Endangered Places grant from Indiana Landmarks, the town commissioned a feasibility study by K.W. Garner Consulting to help officials craft a plan for the church’s rehabilitation.
Workers removed the 1940s exterior cement siding, a dated interior drop ceiling, and a 1950s lean-to addition that had long served as a catch-all for everything from garden supplies to old coffee makers.
The church’s transformation owes a debt to Marshall for his steadfast and enthusiastic support, and to Dan Thomas, longtime Mt. Ayr resident and owner of the town museum, who is also an expert woodworker, carpenter, and framer. Working with his grandson, Thomas re-sided the building with wood boards and recreated and installed chair rails and beadboard wainscoting inside, ensuring the details and workmanship all met his exacting standards. He recreated missing windows on the north and south sides of the church, created new wood siding, and painstakingly recreated the period-specific molding around the windows and new front door. Salvaged stained-glass windows from a church in the now-abandoned southern Indiana town of Elkinsville were installed in the restored original window openings.
The Town installed new heating and cooling systems, plumbing, and a new rear addition that houses a gathering space, small kitchen, and a bathroom, all of which are accessible to everyone.
Since its completion in May 2025, the property has hosted multiple community events, an art show, and at least one wedding, fulfilling the vision town residents and council members had for returning the church to its role as a central community gathering place.
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