The West Church - 561 W Main Street

After sitting abandoned for decades and nearly being destroyed in the blizzard of 1950, this rotting wooden hulk of a church has been empty for generations. This church was built in 1801 and then abandoned in 1878 when moaning sounds came from the coffin of Trisham Goddard.
Goddard, an early co-founder of the church, died in 1810, and his body had been interred beneath the building. Despite his active church membership, many rumors held him to be a sorcerer. When stirring sounds were detected from within the stone coffin four generations later, the already-failing congregation hurriedly voted to merge with a nearby church, and the building has been sealed off since.
Sitting empty and generally ignored by the local population, it’s become the perfect haunt for New Jerusalem’s burgeoning Beatnik scene. Many Kerouac wannabes, and the genuinely disenfranchised, congregate in the old basement to be moody, recite poor free form poetry, and listen to jazz music.
New Jerusalem's own East-town Five occasionally play underground sets at what is known as 'The Cavern' for their appreciative fans. One especially creepy regular at The Cavern's unlisted concerts is an emaciated, pale-faced man known only as Gottard. Gottard's age is un-guessable, though he is well past youth, making him stand out with the younger audience.
Unknown to the basement gathering Beatniks, high above their heads others are doing what they try to do far better: The Oh-Daddy-Oh! Club

RUINED STRUCTURE
1878

Founding Date

1801

Type

Temple / Church

Parent Location

Merchant District

Connected Rooms

• The Oh-Daddy-Oh! Club