Boynton Chapel Restoration

Boynton Chapel Restoration

In March 2025, just before a wet snowstorm, peering into the historic Boynton Chapel I noticed signs of snowmelt permeating the cedar shingle roof. Mark Franke, Björklunden's longtime caretaker, immediately outfitted the structure with a temporary patch. The culprit? A woodpecker bore a hole through a shingle.

We had already begun raising funds, knowing the roof was nearing the end of its useful life. By summer 2024, the Dobrinska Painters, a regular retreat group at Björklunden, had donated 25 original works that were auctioned at our Gala event to raise money for Chapel restoration. Several other generous donors stepped up too, and we combined this support endowment distributions, other funds on hand, and a contribution from the President’s office. Thankfully, we were in a good position to get the project underway.

I began working with our Facilities Department to identify a roofer for this complex job. The chapel’s roof, with its intricate geometry and more than 1,900 precisely cut shingles, demanded craftsmanship and attention to detail – far beyond your standard roofing job. Eventually, we found the crew to do it led by David Hatch, a longtime master woodworker in Door County.

Work on the roof began in late fall, as wedding season slowed. Scaffolding was set up, and the cherry picker circumnavigated the bell tower. By snowfall, the crew replaced much of the roof with gleaming fresh cedar and glimmering copper that will oxidize over time. They carefully restored and treated ornamental woodwork along the way. It’s been a thrill walking by and seeing this work unfold. The most complex portion of the roof – the tapered cone over the circular apse – will be completed in Spring along with further treatment and conditioning of the chapel's exterior wood.

Inside, there are subtle signs of water damage from last spring’s leak as well as prior leaks. We hired the Midwest Arts Conservation Center to study the frescoes. They recommended a specialized cleaning of the fresco surfaces. Fortunately, we have already received a grant from the Kohler Foundation to cover nearly three quarters of the cost for this work. We'll be excited to provide more updates as this loving restoration of Björklunden’s Chapel of Peace continues.