By CRISTINA JANNEY

Hays Post

A 108-year-old church located off the Hays bypass is scheduled to be lifted off its foundation and moved on Monday to Rock Haven Spa.

The church is part of a defunct tourist attraction, but before it was located there in 1990, it served as the meeting place for a rural congregation in Graham County.

Dereama Allenbaugh, owner of Rock Haven Spa, said she plans to restore the church if the building survives the 15-mile move to its new location.

The building still retains many of its original features, including hard-wood floors, but has been heavily vandalized over the years.

“It is quite a task to move an old building,” she said. “Once it’s off the main road, I was told it could take three days to bring it through the pastures.”

Midwest Energy Crews will be involved in the move, as power lines will have to be lifted to allow the church to pass. The steeple has already been removed to make this process easier.

Some of the lines may be able to be lifted live. If not, there might be a short-term power outage of about 15 minutes for people in the immediate area while the power lines are taken down and reconnected, according to Midwest Energy.

“I have good thoughts and high hopes and my fingers crossed that it makes it down the highway,” Allenbaugh said. If you want to help, please wish it safe passage.”

Allenbaugh said she will release more information on the plans for the building at Rock Haven once it has arrived and been placed safely on its new foundation.

“It is a charming building,” she said. “I hope it can be used again.”