Crooked Steeple Hall: Save the Steeple!

We’re revitalizing a piece of history in the heart of Maine. With your help, we’ll rescue a charming antique church from ruin and turn it into a unique space for nonprofit events, private functions and community engagement. Crooked Steeple Hall, a building on the National Register of Historic Places, is already the centerpiece of our wedding and event space. Now we want to make it the heart of Winterport life.

Preserving the Past

The year was 1850 and Winterport was becoming the home of choice for sea captains who sailed the eastern seaboard and beyond. Sailors chose the spot because it was the last unfrozen inland harbor on the Penobscot River. Goods shipped from nearby Bangor could reach the world via Winterport. A decade before the town of Winterport incorporated, local people built a church to house their growing Methodist population. 

In the 1870’s the congregation bought a bell cast by Black and Co., the foundry in Massachusetts that was originally owned by Paul Revere. They hung it inside the quintessential New England white steeple. That very steeple now threatens this historic building. Without extensive repair the Winterport skyline will lose some of its distinctive New England charm and Crooked Steeple Hall will lose its namesake. 

The Woman Behind Crooked Steeple

Founder Katrina Petersen bought Crooked Steeple because she fell in love with Winterport and couldn’t bear to see such an iconic feature of its skyline disappear. As a newly divorced mother, Katrina had limited time and limited funds, but she also had a vision. 

Crooked Steeple Hall would become a destination event space. She pictured brides entering for their wedding reception after getting married in the Union Meeting House across the street. She envisioned political debates that facilitated free speech and promoted the deomocratic process. She imagined silent auctions raising thousands to support local charities and nonprofits.
 
There was just one problem, Crooked Steeple Hall needed work. A lot of work. Much as she loved the space, she knew that restoring it and keeping it in good condition would take money. She’s already begun a $200,000 renovation, doing much of the work herself with the help of town residents, and calling in Winterport businesses to do the specialized work. 

Once it’s fully functional, Crooked Steeple Hall should generate a yearly revenue of over $350,000, enabling Katrina to offer the space free of charge for non-profit groups while maintaining the iconic building.  

Crooked Steeple Today

Katrina bought Crooked Steeple Hall with an audacious goal in mind. She wanted to completely restore this historic building. The vaulted space with its stained glass windows would become the perfect location for weddings, non-profit events, and political debates. 

The idea isn’t as crazy as it sounds. Just 1 hour from Acadia National Park, Crooked Steeple Hall maintains the quaint New England charm without the commercialization that has changed the face of more tourist-focused areas. Winterport is a haven for vacationers and locals alike who want the authentic Maine experience. 

With a suite located inside the hall and additional lodging at the nearby 1812 Pierce House, visitors to Winterport are within easy driving distance to some of Maine’s most iconic destinations including Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, Downtown Bucksport, Fort Knox and the Penobscot Narrows Observatory. 

Help Us Save the Steeple!

We need your help. The hall is a priceless piece of Winterport’s history, but rescuing it is going to take resources. $100,000 will help us create a beautiful space for visitors and community members to connect, work, gather and learn in historic Winterport. Select and investment level and help us save the steeple!