Historical Society Meeting Scheduled
By Pat Bergdall on Monday, July 11th, 2011 |
The July 19, 2011 meeting of the Historical Society will be held at St. Felix monastery, 1280 Hitzfield, at 7:00 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30. This meeting is open to members only, although non-members may join the Society at the door by paying $10.00 dues for a single membership or $15.00 for a family membership. Guests should be aware that there are flights of stairs to climb on the tour. Light refreshments will be available after the tour, and there will also be a brief membership meeting.
Rob Mayo, resident manager of the renovation, will conduct a tour of the most interesting portions of the facility. Built in 1928 by the Roman Catholic Church's Capuchin order, St. Felix was recently purchased by Fort Wayne businessman John Tippmann, Sr.. Thanks to hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Mary Cross Tippmann Foundation and a lot of dedicated volunteers, this historically and architecturally significant building is being beautifully restored. It will eventually serve as a unique retreat center for various Catholic and community groups.
Originally, St. Felix had room for 120 residents. The small rooms were typically shared by two men, with scarcely enough room for two twin beds and a dresser. During the period when the Good Shepherd Church owned the property, the number of rooms was reduced when some walls were removed, but otherwise the interior is mostly intact with original woodwork and art still visible. Renovations and repairs are expected to return the building to its original character, with the addition of some modern updates to the heating and electrical systems.
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