Burlington County, New Jersey, congregation raising historic church to avoid flooding
Doris Priest, a lifelong Burlington County resident, has watched countless landmarks in her community fade into the past.
But there's one place she prays will endure: her beloved church.
"It's a small church. It's just quaint," said Priest, who is the vice president of the Lumberton Historical Society.
That quaint church is Trinity Episcopal in Vincentown, New Jersey.
It was built in 1871 near the banks of the Rancocas Creek, where it's stood firm ever since.
However, the growing threats of climate change could soon uproot it.
Priest said each year brings stronger storms and worsening flooding.
"I think it was 2003 we had 5 feet of water in the church," Priest said. "We get very scared. It was devastating to walk in and everything was gone."
According to climate risk data from Firststreet.org, more than 37,000 properties in Burlington County are at risk of major flooding over the next 30 years.
That's why Trinity Episcopal Church is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to replace and raise the 154-year-old foundation. The plan is to elevate it 4 feet in hopes of preventing future damage.
"In this country, we lose a lot of our history and that upsets me," Priest said. "We're trying to save history."
The church will remain closed during construction, which is expected to be completed by Easter Sunday.
