By Jo Ellis

Globe columnist

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Still standing after 135 years, the stucco-covered brick structure at Sixth and Maple streets serves as a symbol of quiet dignity and perseverance.

The oldest church building in the city, it was constructed in 1874 for the Carthage Congregational Church. It predates the Jasper County Courthouse by 20 years. It has been home to various faiths in addition to the Congregationalists: Christian Science, Faith Lutheran and Free Methodist.

During the 1880s and ’90s, it served as Miss Brooks Select School, and it temporarily housed Carthage seventh-graders around 1905 when the “new” high school was under construction. The Carthage chapter of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union organized within its walls, eventually resulting in the closing of numerous Carthage saloons.

More recently, it housed an artists guild, a museum and a private residence. Victorian Carthage Inc. purchased the building in 1989 and did some restorative work before selling it to a private individual. It is now the law office of Carthage attorney Greg Payne.

In the past few years, the structure had fallen into serious disrepair. Payne and his wife, Tammy Neil, purchased the building in October 2008.

Payne, who grew up in Carthage, said: “It was kind of sad and disappointing to see it somewhat neglected. I thought it would be nice to bring life back into it. The roof was leaking, and there was mold everywhere, but structurally, it was pretty sound.”

After five months of restoration efforts, he opened his new law office in February.

The major work involved total electrical rewiring, replacing the old tin roof with asphalt shingles and installing new flooring. In the wing serving as his office, he removed the plaster on the brick walls, tore out the rotted floor and put down new wood. The original ceiling was maintained for the most part.

Payne built a glassed-in conference room in the middle of the congregational seating area and was able to retain the original oak flooring there. Carpet was laid in the remainder of the main chapel to reduce the noise in the high-ceilinged room.

Patches of wall plaster were removed in an artistic pattern to expose the locally fired brick. Tall, arched windows with most of the original glass intact provide interesting architectural detail. Painted the color of ripe wheat, the exterior sparkles with white trim. Altogether, it is an elegant repurposing of a historic treasure.

Payne has practiced law in Carthage since 2002. Before that, he worked in the Jasper County prosecuting attorney’s office. He was in private practice with Charles Buchanan and Walt Williams in Joplin. When he moved to Carthage, he located in the former law office of Judge Stephen Carlton on the square.

“I might have a little more (business) exposure here than I did on the square,” Payne said. He knows he has better views from his large, Victorian-era windows. To the west, he is directly across from the new addition to the Carthage Public Library. Central Park fills his south-facing windows, and an oblique view of the courthouse is visible from a north window.

Payne hopes that his work to restore the building will help preserve it, and its rich, historical background, for another 100 years or so. “I think it’s viable for some time now,” he said.