For more than a century, the jewel at the center of First Zion Baptist Church in Harpers Ferry was its large, ornate chandelier. Delores Jackson Foster’s family attended First Zion throughout her childhood. She still remembers the pungent odor that permeated the sanctuary whenever the chandelier’s six kerosene lamps were burning.
Although First Zion sadly closed as a church in the 1990s, the Harpers Ferry – Bolivar Historic Town Foundation purchased the building in 2017. Since then, our vision has been to revive this historically significant gathering place, repurposing it as a community and performing arts center. To date the Foundation has raised more than $350,000 to purchase the building and restore the exterior, proving that we are determined and able to accomplish our goals.
As we transition into fundraising for interior renovation, attention has turned to that beautiful chandelier, which has suffered neglect like the rest of the building. We aim to restore, re-gild, and electrify it, so it can return to its place of honor in the sanctuary, modernized for 21st-century service. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors recently awarded us a grant that covers about half the restoration cost. We are inviting you to invest in our Shine the Light campaign to help fund the balance of chandelier preservation.
For a limited time, you have the opportunity to have your name associated forever with the First Zion chandelier. The expense is a small proportion of the entire building rehab cost, but an especially meaningful way to memorialize an original feature of the church. We would value your help with a donation of any size. If you donate at least $500, your name will be added to a plaque describing the chandelier’s history. Enhanced recognition will apply with larger gifts:
$750-1,499 Beacon Status
$1500+ High Voltage Statue
$10,000 Champion of Preservation: Top recognition alongside the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund
Two easy options are available for your contribution: Mail a check to P. O. Box 154, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425, or give online at https://historicharpersferry.org/get-involved/donate
Note “Shine the Light” in the message box
