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Read the press release here.

St. Gertrude Church Bell Tower Gets Facelift

EDGEWATER — The 103-year-old St. Gertrude Catholic Church is getting a facelift. 

The parish has launched a $1.5 million capital improvement plan to shore up its bell tower and replace its historic doors.

Scaffolding was recently erected around the building, which was dedicated in 1931, to do some "major tuckpointing" to the limestone structure at 1420 W. Granville Ave., said Marge Butzen, Gertrude's director of management and facilities.

(DNAinfo/Ben Woodard)

Butzen said there was no structural damage to the church building, but it also had not been tuckpointed since it had been built.

She said it would take about three weeks for workers to reach the top of the tower, which actually has never had any real bells or sound system to mimic the sound of bells.

Construction of St. Gertrude's continued through the Great Depression because parishioners pooled what they had, including jewelry, to make sure the work was done despite the economy.

In the same way, the congregation has so far raised $1.1 million of the money that will be used to shore up the bell tower, restore the church's original doors and upgrade the chapel's sound system.

"The parishioners were so faithful and believing in this church," Butzen said.

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