Fundraiser to benefit historic city church
Event set for Aug. 21 to support preservation of Church of the Presidents

LONG BRANCH — A cocktail reception fundraiser is scheduled to be held 6:30-9:30 p.m. Aug. 21 at the Ocean Beach Club on Ocean Avenue to benefit the restoration of the Church of the Presidents, which is the last remaining building associated with the seven presidents who vacationed in Long Branch during the country's Gilded Age.

A dedication ceremony is to be held prior to the fundraiser at 5:30 p.m. at the Church of the Presidents to unveil a new bronze plaque commemorating the history of the site. The public is invited to attend.

Sponsored by the Long Branch Historical Museum Association (LBHMA), the fundraiser will help support the work needed to complete the exterior restoration of the building, including repairs to the shingle siding and trim distinguishing the structure, and painting the remainder of the exterior in the site's original colors.

This year, most of the tower as well as the eastern face of the building have been painted in the rustic earth tones used in the early shingle-style architecture that influenced the design of the church in the 1870s.

Before painting began, shingles and trim in the affected areas were replaced or repaired as needed.

Funding is required soon to complete the lower tower and the rest of the building to ensure the paint is consistent in tone and weathering, according to a press release from the Long Branch Historical Museum Association.

The olive green, dark brown, and amber gold colors replacing the formerly all-white façade were determined through a paint analysis conducted by Historic Building Architects LLC of Trenton.

Siperstein's is donating all the paint for the restoration, and the Monmouth County Historical Commission provided funding this year to help restore the building's south-facing portico porch.

The exterior restoration comprises phase II of a four-phase preservation plan that includes infrastructure repairs and upgrades that must be completed before the site can be re-opened to the public.

Last year a new roof and rain gutters were installed on the church, and the wood framing of the building and the tower were reinforced. The repair/replacement of the building's brick foundation and masonry is required to complete the exterior phase.

A $250,000 stabilization project, which was the first phase of the project, was completed in 2003, saving the structure from impending collapse, according to the release.

Nearly $814,500 has been spent on the exterior restoration thus far, and remaining repairs are expected to exceed $1 million

Admission to the reception is $100 per person. All contributions are tax-deductible. Reservations may be obtained by sending prepayment to LBHMA, P.O. Box 2204, Elberon, N.J. 07740. For more information, call 732-223-0874.

LBHMA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Owned by LBHMA, St. James Chapel was built in 1879 and gained fame as the Church of the Presidents because Presidents Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley and Woodrow Wilson attended services there.

The building was deconsecrated and saved from demolition in 1953, and functioned as a museum until instability forced its closure in 1999. It is listed on both the State of New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places.