The downtown Beaufort chapel of St. Peter Catholic Church is being cleaned up to prepare for its restoration.
The Rev. Paul MacNeil said the plan is to restore the historic chapel at 710 Carteret St., but the details of its future use are yet to be announced.
The chapel was built in 1846 and was the only Catholic church between the Broad River and Charleston until 1987, MacNeil said.
When it closed in 2006 because its foundation was sinking and a side wall was bowing, the parish moved the Eucharistic Adoration held at the chapel to its campus at 70 Lady's Island Drive. The parish had moved its regular services to Lady's Island in 1988, and in 2004, it began building a larger church of about 23,700 square feet where it now holds services.
In 2007, the historic chapel was stabilized, MacNeil said. The work included shoring up the north wall and replacing the piers and foundation that had sank.
MacNeil was excited Friday at the prospect of reopening the chapel for use by parishioners and the community and about sharing its history.
At 1,700 square feet, the chapel seats about 180 people. The adjoining graveyard was established in 1857.
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