July 12, 2007

Media Advisory- Preservation Summer

Preservation Summer, an historic preservation field study program offered through Southern Illinois University Carbondale's architecture school and history department, is developing a detailed history and preparing field measurements and drawings of the historic 1850's era Kornthal Church and parsonage in Union County. After four weeks of work, local residents and descendents of early church members will bring letters, photographs and other memorabilia to the church for scanning and photographing Friday, July 13. They'll also be participating in oral interviews about church history with SIUC students.

Reporters, photographers and news crews are welcome to cover the visits with community members to learn more about the history of the church, located four miles south of Jonesboro on Illinois 127. Members of the media are welcome any time between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. but the best opportunity will be between 9 a.m. and noon.

In addition, Bill Black Jr., the restoration/preservation contractor from Ray Black and Sons Construction in Paducah, who is overseeing the actual restoration work, will be on site Friday.

The Preservation Summer Class is helping facilitate a hands-on restoration project at Kornthal Church and a parsonage workshop that the Heritage Conservation Network (http://www.heritagesonservation.net/ws-kornthal.htm) will conduct the week of July 16. Robert H. Swenson, associate professor and architect from the School of Architecture, and Michael C. Batinski, chair of the history department, are co-teaching the 2007 SIUC Preservation Summer Class.

For more information or to schedule site visits on another date during the renovation phase of the project, contact Duane or Linda Hileman from the Kornthal Church community at 618/833-8745. Additional details about Preservation Summer are available at http://news.siu.edu/news/May07/050307cm7020.jsp.