MARIA STEIN — Crews began taking down parts of a historic church that was destroyed by fire and high winds.
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News Center 7 previously reported that after exploring options, it has been decided that the upper portion of the tower at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Maria Stein cannot be removed safely.
Friday crews knocked down two walls.
For parishioners, seeing an excavator come in and start to demolish the church was like ripping open a wound.
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“My view out my front door is not gonna look the same anymore,” Ellen Winner said.
Winner lives across the street and remembers the day in May when it caught fire.
“I got a text message from my kids saying ‘Mom, there’s smoke coming from the church’ and I saw it and I was like ‘it can’t be true,’” she said.
That same day, dozens of people stood and watched as the roof and steeple burned.
“It was a surreal moment,” Winner said.
There were plans to try and save what was left the the church, until high winds caused part of the wall to fall in.
Crews saved a historical marker, which translates to “The Holy Saint John Church 1849 ... Rebuilt 1889.”
People from the area came to watch the demolition.
“It’s a big part of Maria Stein,” Winner said. “All five of my kids were baptized in it, me my husband and were married (there).”
All the kids said they hope a new church will still have an old feel.
Contractors will be back early Saturday morning to knock down the remaining wall.
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