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A plea to save the Christian Science church sparked debate about its history Monday at the Warsaw Community Public Library Board meeting.
In preparation for its expansion project, the library will begin razing the Masonic temple and the house it owns the week of Sept. 9. The library hopes to acquire two other properties, including the church, to make room for parking.
But a number of people are "up in arms" about tearing down the church, said Doris Camden, who added that the only word that fits the situation is "despicable."
Local legend says the building that houses the church was part of the underground railroad. One board member suggested the house could be moved, but Camden would like to see the building remain where it is. "You move a building like that with underground tunnels and you've lost the historic value," she said.
The building doesn't have any "official" historical status, but Camden said that doesn't matter. "It's not on the National Register of Historical places ... but the history is there, whether it's registered or not," she said.
Board member Irv Lindemuth asked whether anyone had ever researched the building's history. Board member Ron Raber, who grew up in Warsaw, said he knew of the underground railroad through local legend. He said he researched the underground railroad as a high school student, however, and "could not find any conclusive documentation" supporting its existence at that location.
Raber said he is a firm believer in the importance of history, but reminded those present that the library could have been built at another location.
The library board originally planned to construct a new building at the fairgrounds; that plan, however, was halted in 1991 by a petition drive led by the Taxpayers Action Network.
Being forced to remain downtown, Raber said, the board has been forced to make some tough choices. "The intersection of the past with the future is very painful," he said.
Board member Don Sweatland said early input from the public was to preserve the Carnegie library, but "now that we're doing that, we're affecting others," he said.
Sweatland suggested a monument could be erected in honor of the underground railroad, or perhaps an exhibit could be put together exploring its history. Lindemuth said it could be a feature for the genealogy room.
Camden was concerned the Christian Science building would be torn down in September along with the Masonic temple and the house, but Sweatland reminded her the library has not even made an offer on the church. It will likely be several months before action is taken.
