A campaign is underway to raise funds to repair damage threatening a community icon.

A recent inspection of the steeple at the Union Baptist Church on High Street in Mystic uncovered water damage, rotting wood and mold inside the 43-year-old structure.

Rev. Stacy Emerson said the leaks threaten not only the steeple but the church itself. Robert Morgan Steeple & Building Restoration estimated the work to repair the steeple will cost $50,000.

Located atop the church at 119 High St., the steeple was erected in 1969 to replace the one destroyed during the devastating Hurricane of 1938.

"It was a huge affair at the time to finally have that icon restored to the town," Emerson said.

The original steeple contained a clock, black faced with white numbers, that was maintained by the town. The construction of the present steeple, topped with fiberglass, included protection against future damage with a steel beam that runs from the steeple into the bedrock below the church. A carillon replaced the old bell.

Despite several storms since then, including Hurricane Sandy earlier this month, "she still stands proud and overlooks the village," Emerson said.

The edges of the steeple are sealed with bolts that have come loose through the years, allowing water to creep in. There is also no cap on the very tip of the steeple.

"It definitely needs a face-lift," she said.

Emerson said the fundraising campaign now under way coincides with the 150th anniversary of church. In 1861, the Second and Third Baptist churches were merged - physically. The two buildings were joined during a project that involved "rolling the front of our church on big logs," Emerson said. Evidence of the merger are still visible in the ceiling.

"It really is part of our town's skyline," Emerson said.

The Second Baptist Church had its start in 1765 on Fort Hill, according to the church's website. In 1831, with the population of Mystic growing, the Third Baptist Church, the former Mariners Free Church, was formed.

"By 1861, both congregations saw the need to join together. The building that houses the Union Baptist Church was formed by conjoining the two church buildings together," according to Charles Stark's "History of Groton, 1705-1905."

Stark continues: "The house of the Third Church was moved back on the lot and placed at right angles to the other, forming a letter "T." Teams of oxen dragged the Second Church up High Street a block to the north and placed this building with its spire and clock in front of the Third Church, facing eastward toward the bridge.

The bell rang each Sunday as a call to worship. The clock served as the town clock for many years. The Hurricane of 1938 took down the steeple and not only destroyed the "town clock," it silenced the church bell as well. The bell had been an integral part of village life for nearly a century.

Emerson said that while the church itself is of historic value and sits in an historic district, the steeple is not eligible for historic preservation grants because it is not the original.

The project is planned for early spring and expected to take about one month. The church hopes to have funding in place by the beginning of the year.

Fundraising efforts include a talk by a member of the Fish family, a descendant of a founding member of church on Nov. 18. A holiday fair is scheduled for Nov. 10, along with a New Year's concert.

Contributions may be sent directly to Union Baptist Church, 119 High St., Mystic, CT 06355. Volunteers to assist in fundraising efforts are also sought. Anyone interested may call the church office at 860-536-9659.

G.SMITH@THEDAY.COM