HAVERHILL - First Congregational Church has prominently filled the Monument Square skyline for more than 100 years, exposing its Tiffany stained-glass windows for generations of admiring residents.

That long history appears to have ended.

The church, which is being sold, removed the stained-glass windows last week and replaced them with a foggy white glass.

Thomas Spitalere, chairman of the city's Historical Commission, is concerned the historic artwork was sold and lost forever, but church leaders are mum about what has happened to the famous glass windows.

The church sits in the Main Street Historic District, which ranges from City Hall to Monument Square.

"It would be nice if they told someone what was going on with those windows, just out of courtesy more than anything else," Spitalere said.

He advocates for preserving Haverhill's buildings and their exterior appearances.

"Haverhill is losing a lot of its historical structures, and the laws are not there to protect the historic buildings," he said.

Pastor Colin Leitch did not return several calls for comment, and members of the church contacted by The Eagle-Tribune since last week have not responded.

Leaders in the church are not commenting on the church's future.

Church moderator Carrie Connell said in January, when the church sale became public, that the congregation does not want to discuss why the building is on the market.

"This is not an easy time for us," Connell said in January. She did not return several e-mails seeking comment.

Steven DeSisto, the real estate listing broker, said a sale may be months away but there are interested parties.

The church was erected in 1859, has 17,900 square feet and sits on a 24,988-square-foot lot. It is on the state historic register and has been recommended for the National Register of Historic Places, Spitalere said.

The stained-glass windows were made by Louis Tiffany, a New York-based artist and the son of Charles Tiffany, founder of Tiffany and Co., owner of the famous jewelry business.

The younger Tiffany died in 1933 at age 84.

According to the church's Web site, the Tiffany windows depicted the life of Jesus. The church's first Tiffany window was called "The Ascension of Jesus Christ to Heaven" and was installed over the altar in 1904 by the church's Women's Guild.

Constantine Valhouli, a real estate developer who consults cities and developers about working with historic properties, is frustrated by the loss of the Tiffany windows.

The windows represented the city's cultural past, and are going the way of other historic delights, he said.

"We're taking all the charm out of it, it seems," said Valhouli, who lives in the Bradford section of Haverhill. "We're taking away the small things that make people smile."

PG1 BOX

Tiffany stained-glass windows

* Depict scenes from the life of Jesus Christ.

* The first was installed above the church altar in 1904.

* Made by Louis Tiffany, a New York-based artist and son of Charles Tiffany, owner of a famous jewelry business.