When the 138-year-old church and schoolhouse was publicized for sale, John Heidbreder didn’t know what to expect. “We’ve been getting very interesting responses as a result of this,” Heidbreder, of the 1886 Church Foundation, said. “With Indiana Landmarks being very public about the sale, it stirred interest… Before this, we really didn’t know if anyone would be interested.” The price tag is just $7,500⁠ for the site of Crown Point’s oldest church, which has sparked a rush of callers hoping to snag a steal on a piece of history. “The amount of the sale reflects the amount of work that needs to be invested into it,” said Blake Swihart, director of Indiana Landmarks Northwest Field Office. “It needs a lot of work, but it has a lot of unique features. We have this beautiful, barrel-arched ceiling. It’s really waiting to be uncovered by the right developer who has attention to detail.” Original stencil work from the late 1800s is still intact inside Crown Point’s 138-year-old Trinity Lutheran Church. (Anna Ortiz/Post-Tribune) After the structure sat quietly unoccupied for years, Crown Point residents and Indiana Landmarks banded together to find someone willing to preserve the historic property at 400 East North Street in Crown Point’s Eastside Historic District. “The 1886 Church Foundation reached out to our office and we met with them over a year ago,” Swihart said. “When we started talking about the history of the building, the more I learned, the more I saw that it was something that needed to be saved.” The two-story church is 2,480 square feet and the connected former school spans 4,100 square feet, in addition to a parking lot. Upon seeing a litany of longstanding buildings and homes erased by development across the Region, both Swihart and Heidbreder feared the structure’s demise. “That’s what we were afraid of, and that’s why we got involved,” Swihart said. “The bones are good and by saving the exterior, someone can really make it shine.” John Heidbreder, of the 1886 Church Foundation, stands in front Crown Point’s 138-year-old Trinity Lutheran Church, which is up for sale at the price of ,500 to a preservation-minded buyer. (Anna Ortiz/Post-Tribune) While the 1886 Church Foundation owns the building, Indiana Landmarks is helping efforts in marketing the property. They are seeking someone who will “adaptively reuse” the buildings, keeping the structure and its history alive. The building was constructed in 1886 using stone from Joliet, Illinois, and clay bricks dug from Crown Point earth and fired by a brick company that once sat where Bulldog Park is today, Heidbreder said. Those same bricks make up the foundation of the Old Sheriff’s House and Jail at 226 S. Main Street. “This is why we value these things,” Heidbreder said. “We see the connections things today have from decades, a century ago.” History has been found among the building’s nooks and crannies. Heidbreder saved documents and letters that are more than 100 years old from the church’s early days. Surnames of families still in Crown Point can be found among them, and many of the writings are in German. John Heidbreder shows old documents such as maps and photos that were found in Crown Point’s 138-year-old Trinity Lutheran Church. (Anna Ortiz/Post-Tribune) The church was founded as part of Trinity Lutheran Church and the cornerstone of the adjacent school structure was created in 1938. In 1958 when the church relocated, the structures were transformed into apartments and the hardwood floor was covered in carpet. On October 20, 2018, the building became the scene of a dramatic rescue when fire broke out in the vestibule, a 12-foot-by-12-foot room behind the main doors. Three residents were injured, the building sustained damage and it was later determined to be arson caused by a tenant, who was sentenced to 32 days in jail under a plea agreement. Heidbreder became involved when he was the founding president of the Old Sheriff’s House Foundation and was approached by former owner Steve Greer about the derelict church. He and others then formed the nonprofit 1886 Church Foundation in July 2019 and since then have received some grants to remove fake stucco and conduct structural and feasibility studies. Eventually, they decided it would be best to turn over the building to a new owner who can revive it. Many of the documents, which were found in Crown Point’s 138-year-old Trinity Lutheran Church, were written in German, because of the large amount of German families who immigrated to America at the time. (Anna Ortiz/Post-Tribune) The buildings are in need of complete interior rehabilitation, extensive exterior repairs, including a new roof and masonry rehabilitation, Swihart said. “We are looking for someone to open up the church interior — it will really be something to see that,” Heidbreder said. “With the barrel-vault ceiling and big open space, it would be great for a theater, performances, exhibits, art displays, or dining services.” Painted original stencils from 1886 are still preserved, though it was done by accident, Heidbreder said. The previous owner had put studs and drywall over the original wall, shielding the paintings from time until they were uncovered again more than a century later. The style of the building, American Gothic, refers to the pointed arches doors and windows that are modeled after Medieval architecture. Today, the property is still zoned as residential, but the sellers say “the highly visible location makes it ideal for many potential uses if rezoned.” As for any involvement with the building’s restoration, Crown Point Mayor Pete Land said the city is open to meeting with developers regarding new projects in Crown Point. The owner would first need to submit a rezoning request through the city, which would be considered by the Crown Point Plan Commission and City Council. “We hope to see a quality development at the old Trinity Lutheran Church that would ideally preserve its history, while enhancing the city and surrounding neighborhood by transforming the parcel into a new, vibrant space for the community,” Land said. “These buildings represent a great opportunity for someone to revitalize an important landmark property into a unique asset for the community,” Swihart said. “We’d hate to see such a significant historic structure demolished for some sort of generic redevelopment, especially so close to Crown Point’s locally designated Eastside Historic District and its National Register-listed Courthouse Square Historic District.” The seller would have to abide by protective covenants held by Indiana Landmarks, with the property being sold as is. Swihart said this is to ensure long-term preservation of its historic character and architectural features. “The proactive covenants are mainly for the exterior of the structure,” Swihart said. “It wouldn’t inhibit interior renovations. It could be a brewery, a restaurant or apartments — we’re just trying to protect the exterior and restore it to its original beauty.” While many have come forward as buyers in the last week, no one has yet to seal the deal. Swihart said Indiana Landmarks wants to ensure the future owner has the ability and resources to complete the project. Potential buyers will be required to provide proof of funds, prior/current development capacity, and a plan that aligns with the preservation covenants. Serious buyers can contact the Indiana Landmarks’ Northwest Field Office for information at 219-947-2657. Anna Ortiz is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.