Derelict Thursday: Community Church

I am in Palm Springs for a few days, and was out walking early this morning. My intention was to find a subject for one of the two challenges for October that interest me. This photo is of the Palm Springs Community Church that dates from about 1935. President and Mamie Eisenhower worshipped at this church in 1954 during a visit to the area. It has been considered a historic landmark for decades. Sadly, a fire in September 2013 did major damage to the vacant church and surrounding properties, which were part of a proposed luxury resort development project. There was some controversy about the origin of the fire, as there had been a string of suspicious fires in the area during that time frame. Many people blamed it on the homeless residents in the area who used the building as a shelter. Fire and smoke damage are quite obvious, and heaps of charred remains lay in piles in the church yard. This is for the Derelict Thursday Challenge hosted by An Avid Lensman.