Insulators Go To Church - Update

Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", May 1977, page 8

Some of you may remember an article in the June 1975 issue of Crown Jewels entitled "Insulators Go To Church". It ended with the following statement: "At present the builder is placing the 'bell tower' on the unique church which is open to the public." 

Now we have a sequel, with pictures of both inside and outside views of the completed insulator church. John D. Clark of London, Ontario, Canada, sent the following article to us. It was taken from The United Church Observer magazine's May 1976 issue and is reproduced with their permission. 

Mr. Clark wrote, "I was impressed by the workmanship and I am sure our fellow collectors will find this an interesting item and a very charming chapel built of insulators." 

In giving permission for use of the article, Mrs. Patricia Clarke, Associate Editor of The United Church Observer stated that "Pincher Creek is in the southwest corner of Alberta. We should have made that clear in the news item."

Insulator Church Attracts Visitors

On his first Sunday as minister to Pincher Creek charge, the Rev. Jim Henning spotted this 8 by 14 foot "insulator" church. He soon found out the builder was Bastian Zoeteman, a long-time supporter of Pincher Creek United. In over eight months, the retired businessman had constructed the church from more than 7,000 glass telephone line insulator parts. Using cement moulds, he built clear insulators into wall panels and green insulators into windows and corners. The interior of the church has six small pews, a pulpit and carpeting. In the evening it is lit by a chandelier also made of insulators. The church has been moved to a spot between the church and the manse. Open this year for everyone to enjoy, it has attracted hundreds of visitors and one wedding. Here Mr. Henning inspects the miniature church.

Jim McLeod of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, wrote about a schoolhouse also built by Mr. Zoeteman from 8,000 insulators and concrete, an exact, small-scale replica of an old-time country school he attended as a boy, furnished with seats and blackboards of the period. 

Mr. McLeod wrote: "The gentleman had stated that he would not mention where he had obtained the insulators. But not long ago I had the opportunity to meet a lineman who revealed that he was the one who sold the insulators to this man. At that time he was in charge of taking down a line in southern Alberta and had collected a total of 55,000 insulators, of which 20,000 were sold to him. I began to wonder how many rare beauties were now encased in cement, and was happy to learn upon inquiry that all the insulators used in the construction of this work of art were aqua Hemingray 9's and 16's."