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Register of the Harmony Grove Church (Lockeford, Calif.) Restoration Papers, 1967-1996
Mss288  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Descriptive Summary
  • Administrative Information
  • Access Points
  • Biography
  • Scope and Content

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: Harmony Grove Church (Lockeford, Calif.) Restoration Papers,
    Date (inclusive): 1967-1996
    Collection number: Mss288
    Creator: Peggy Engh
    Extent: 1.5 linear ft.
    Repository: University of the Pacific. Library. Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections
    Stockton, CA 95211
    Shelf location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
    Language: English.

    Administrative Information

    Access

    Collection is open for research.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item], Harmony Grove Church (Lockeford, Calif.) Restoration Papers, Mss288, Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library

    Access Points

    corporate name

    Harmony Grove State Historic Park (Lockeford, Calif.)

    subject

    Methodist church buildings -California -Lockeford
    Historic buildings -Conservation and restoration
    Lockeford (Calif.) -History
    San Joaquin County (Calif.) -History

    Biography

    In 1965, a century-old abandoned Methodist Episcopal Church, located at Harmony Grove Cemetery near Lockeford, Calif., faced demolition after a developer purchased the land.. Recognizing the historical significance of the structure and property, many interested people, including members of the Lockeford-Clements Woman's Club, successfully circulated a petition both to stop development and to restore the old brick church. The Lockeford-Clements Woman's Club received state and national citations for spearheading the campaign to save the church. In September 1967 County Supervisors and property owner, Lloyd Dawson of Lodi, reached an agreement whereby Dawson deeded the church and part of the surrounding property to San Joaquin County, retaining a portion for cemetery purposes under the condition that restoration would be started within five years or the land would be returned to him. The County Parks & Recreation Department, working with the San Joaquin County Historical Society, set up a trust fund, obtained Federal monies and restored the Harmony Grove Church and grounds. The restored building was dedicated in 1973. An annual "Homecoming" and open house take place at the old church serving as a reminder of the church's heritage and the remarkable efforts made to save it. The papers in this collection document the activities and people who undertook the mission to save the Harmony Grove Church.

    Scope and Content

    The Harmony Grove Church Restoration Papers consist of correspondence, reports, clippings, architect's drawings and unpublished histories pertaining to the restoration of the Harmony Grove Church, Lockeford, Calif. (1967-1996).