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Daily Breeze
By Donna Littlejohn Staff Writer
Posted: 10/05/2011 06:51:01 PM PDT
Updated: 10/05/2011 07:25:06 PM PDT

The bell tower was removed from the historic St. Peter's Episcopal Church for its move to Green Hills Memorial Park. (Chuck Bennett / Staff Photographer)

After years of planning, the first piece of a historic San Pedro church – an 1884 bell and bell tower – was removed and transported four miles across town on Wednesday.

But the biggest job will come next week when the rest of the building will be loaded onto two trailers and driven through town during late-night hours.

The structure – which has survived two earlier moves in its long history – is destined for a new life as a prayer chapel at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes.

John Resich, chairman of the Green Hills board, said the project has presented one challenge after another.

Despite the rain, workers toiled through the morning on Wednesday to remove and load onto a trailer the bell tower from the church that has sat in Harbor View Cemetery at 24th Street and Grand Avenue for more than four decades. The bell and its tower arrived at Green Hills around 2 p.m.

An inscription on the bell – which Resich said still rings quite nicely – indicates it was built in San Francisco in 1884 for the St. Peter’s congregation.

Once Green Hills rehabilitates the structure, it will be open daily and used for tours as well as for prayer and services, including weddings and funerals.

It was the original home for St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and originally was at Nob Hill at Beacon Street between Second and Third streets.

It was San Pedro’s first house of worship and a replica of the church’s missing original steeple will be placed back on the church as part of the refurbishment.

The congregation built a new church at 1648 W. Ninth St. in the 1950s and the old church at that time was donated to the city of Los Angeles and moved to Harbor View Cemetery.

The St. Peter's Episcopal Church bell tower is loaded onto a trailer for the move to Green Hills Memorial Park. (Chuck Bennett / Staff Photographer)

While concerts and other events were held there through the years, the building eventually was boarded up and fell into disrepair. Vandals and thieves broke in repeatedly and some of the inside furnishings were stolen through the years.

Plans for the full church move are still being finalized, but it will tentatively take place after dark on Oct. 13, according to Resich.

The exact route is still being worked out with state street authorities, he said.

“The whole thing was a challenge,” he said of the years-long effort to move the church.

Once workers got inside and began to dismantle part of the interior in recent months, Resich said it “was something we’ve never seen before.”

“It’s very old construction, very different. Unique.”

It will take some time to get the building ready for opening once it’s at Green Hills, Resich said. But he added that it will be worth it.

“I think it will be very beautiful,” he said. “It’s been in pretty bad shape but we’ll give it the love it needs to bring it back to its historic beauty.”

donna.littlejohn@dailybreeze.com

A Place To Honor. To Gather. And To Celebrate.

Green Hills Memorial Park is pleased to serve as a beautiful location for a wide range of community events, including special events, civic and cultural observances, musical, inter-denominational and annual events. These have become cherished traditions within our community. All Green Hills Memorial Park events are free of charge and we invite you to celebrate and commemorate these important occasions with us.

Easter Sunrise Service – Sunday, April 24, 2011

We held our first Easter Sunrise Service in the spring of 1948. Today, ours is the largest Easter Sunrise outdoor service in the South Bay area. The multi-denominational service is celebrated in conjunction with the South Coast Interfaith Council and the San Pedro Pastors Fellowship. All are welcome.

26th Annual Memorial Day Observance, Monday, May 30, 2011

We continue to honor our fallen soldiers with a special Memorial Day weekend event that draws over 15,000 visitors to the park. We are privileged to host California’s largest Memorial Day service, conducted annually at 10 AM.

How To Survive The Holidays

For families who have lost a loved one, each November we invite a grief counselor to give a seminar that is held at Green Hills Memorial Park. This service is provided free to the community. Please check back for more information, or call us at (310) 521-4460.

Bereavement Sessions

Also available to those who have recently lost a loved one, at no charge, this grief support group meets at Green Hills Memorial Park the first Thursday of every month, 5 PM – 6:40 PM. For more information, contact (310) 521-4468.

For More Information

To learn more about these and other events held at Green Hills Memorial Park, or to inquire about conducting a special event at the park, please call us at 1-800-597-7331. You can also sign up to receive updates and announcements about upcoming events, as well as special offers.