Part Of Historic Berlin Building Moved To Place of Prominence

BERLIN, CT — With the spirit of an old-fashioned barn-raising, several community volunteers and town employees got together Tuesday and relocated an iconic Berlin landmark on its property.

Built in 1774, the Worthington Meeting House on 723 Worthington Ridge has been a Berlin institution, the building serving as everything from a church, to a meeting house, to a school, to town offices and, even, a public library.

These days, it is being restored as part of a major Berlin Historical Society initiative after being vacant since 1974.

Part of that project is the trademark cupola that once stood atop the building, but for years was sitting on the ground at the site.

The Town of Berlin, however, was asked by the historical society to relocate the cupola to a more prominent display on the north lawn.

That effort took place Tuesday.

"Many thanks to Berlin’s facilities, grounds, and highway departments as well as to Saindon Crane who donated their services to the Town and Historical Society for this project," wrote the Town of Berlin.

The historical society was equally elated.

"Success! Thanks to the persistence of Friends of The Worthington Meeting House and help from the Town of Berlin crews, and donated services of Berlin contractor Saindon Crane, the iconic cupola was safely moved to the north lawn," wrote the Berlin Historical Society.

"There it can be admired up close, serve as a focal point of architectural art, and help tell the story of the Worthington Meeting House’s adaptive reuse over generations."

On Wednesday, landscaping operations to showcase the cupola at its new site were slated to begin.

For more information on the Worthington Meeting House, click on this link.

For more images of the cupola's move, aling with some video footage, click on this link