Waddell Church gets originally designed hinges

Waddell Memorial Presbyterian Church in Rapidan finally got the originally-designed forged hinges for its double doors this spring, 135 years after the church was built.
The architectural drawings for the church, designed by a professor at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, showed scrolled hinges, typical of many churches of the period but, the community builders were on a strict budget in 1874, using locally rough-sawn poplar for the unique Carpenter Gothic structure, bracing the floor system on locust blocks, and hanging the doors with low-cost barn hinges.
Waddell member Elsie Jarvis and others of the village tell that Elsie's grandfather, George Peyton, headed the construction of both Waddell and nearby Emmanuel Episcopal churches in the years following the Civil War. Peyton, a master woodworker, also built the Waddell pulpit, pulpit chairs, offertory table and the elaborate interior trim. He also built Windy Hill, Mrs. Jarvis' home, and several other historic area houses.
Over the years, the heavy, double-thickness church doors stressed the temporary hinges, which were reset several times. Conventional doorknobs also weakened, pulled out, and had to be replaced. But recent restoration work, under the direction of elder Alan Knewstep, has had to focus on the entire fellowship hall addition, including kitchen, office, classrooms and bathrooms. These came ahead of the front door work, as had earlier restoration of the 36 spires atop the church and the painting.
Current pastor Charles "Mac" McRaven, who is also a blacksmith and former restoration contractor, has been instrumental in the more unconventional and difficult restoration chores. He replaced the decayed, termite-ridden wooden blocks under the floor beams one by one with concrete and treated timbers. When he came to the church in 2003, he saw the drawings for the front door hinges, and planned a contribution. He spent time at his forge this past year creating the four hinges and a Suffolk latch. These were installed this April, with descendant Elsie in attendance, witnessing the completion of her grandfather's work.
Since Waddell is on both the Virginia and National Historic Registers, such changes must be documented, and the governing session of the church has included the work in its records. The doors themselves are painted an almost black green, so the ironwork is a lighter gray-green, to stand out subtly.
Additional restoration work is ongoing at Waddell, focusing on the sanctuary itself, now that the floor system is stabilized. Plaster work, interior trim repair and floor covering are planned, along with refinishing the curved oak pews. And now the welcoming front doors swing open easily, as originally planned.