Miller resident is turning 124-year-old church into her dream house
Tucked away in Miller, about 30 miles west of Springfield, is a plot of land that two years ago transferred ownership for the first time since 1898.
A 124-year-old former United Methodist church sits on the land, and 29-year-old Samantha Whittaker (a Miller native) took over the deed in 2020. Once a place of worship, the structure is in the process of becoming Whittaker's dream home.
Flashback two years ago, during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. The second week of lockdown, Whittaker decided to move back in with her parents, who live in Miller. During a walk with her parents around town, Whittaker inquired about the United Methodist Church building, located at 102 S. Hobbs St. She learned that the church closed in 2019 due to low attendance, which is when the idea struck her.
Originally, Whittaker was pursuing her "pipe dream" of opening a restaurant in Miller.
"I had a business plan and was getting ready to secure funding for opening a restaurant in my hometown, and something told me to hold off to see what we could do with the church, whether that was a restaurant or something else," Whittaker said.
So the process of researching "how to buy a church" began.
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Whittaker, who works for the Alzheimer's Association, said one of her co-workers is married to a United Methodist minister, who pointed her in the right direction.
She got in contact with the Southwest District Office of the United Methodist Church in Joplin. The denomination welcomed her to take a look at the inside of the building. The only problem: No one had a key.
"I called and they said, 'Yeah, go ahead and look at it. You'll have to break in but go ahead,'" Whittaker recalled.
Getting into the church may have taken some time (she used a debit card to unlock one of the doors), but it didn't take long for Whittaker to make up her mind. She began to chat with the denomination about price.
"When we started, they were close to $30,000, and really because I was local and what I wanted to do, we ended up at $15,000, then I ultimately paid $2,000," she said. "We met at the courthouse, signed the deed over and I wrote them a check."
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In November 2020, Whittaker became a "homeowner" of the 3,400-square-foot church, which came fully furnished.
Whittaker kept two pews and sold the rest, many to Miller residents. In addition, the kitchen was fully stocked. Whittaker described herself as a vintage dishes collector, so she kept much of the original dining ware from the 1800s, enough to serve 35 people. She also kept the piano.
Before renovations could start, Whittaker measured "every inch" of the building, drew up plans for her dream home and put it all together in a drafting software she purchased.
"I have a degree in agriculture from Mizzou, I work in non-profit development and fundraising, so I have no experience (creating floor plans)," Whittaker said. "I just always liked it and was also meticulous in terms of measurements and trial and error. I just did it, and I couldn't even tell you how."
When renovations began in spring 2021, Whittaker hired professionals to help with construction and the updating of plumbing and HVAC. As of early April, two walls have been added and the church's interior has been repainted. In the coming weeks, cabinets and new flooring will be installed, along with the completion of the bathrooms.
As for the exterior, some doors have been closed and windows moved, but for the most part, it will remain the same. Whittaker said she still wants the building to look and feel like a church.
"When you're going to convert a church into a house, I think it's exciting to keep the integrity that anyone and everyone is welcome there," she said. "I want people to know that and have that space to do that."
With progress moving along, Whittaker isn't the only one excited about the remodel.
"The town has really rallied around me," she said. "The community is really excited about seeing an old building, that was probably going to sit there and rot and fall down, find new life and new purpose. I think that is always fun, especially in a small, rural farm town."
Once renovations are complete, the church will be a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house. Whittaker said although she knows not all of the finishing touches will be complete, she hopes to move in by Memorial Day weekend.
Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Miller resident is turning 124-year-old church into her dream house
