Claquato Church is a historic Methodist church located off Washington State Route 6 in Claquato, Washington. It is the oldest standing church building in the state of Washington.[2][3]
Claquato Church | |
 Claquato Church | |
  | |
| Location | 125 Water Street, Chehalis, Washington |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 46°38′33″N 123°1′18″W / 46.64250°N 123.02167°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1858 |
| Restored | 1953 |
| Restored by | American Legion |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001882[1] |
| Added to NRHP | April 24, 1973 |
History edit
Construction commenced in 1857 as a Presbyterian house of worship however the chapel was allowed to be consecrated the following year as Methodist with a promise that the church would be open to all denominations.[4] The building was used as a schoolhouse, known locally as the "Claquato Academy", until a new school was built in 1874.[5] When the county seat moved from Claquato to Chehalis in 1874, the church began to lose its congregants though services continued into the 1930s.[6] A small renovation project, for repairs and the need for a new floor, was completed in 1929.[5] The Salvation Army began services that same year.[7] The building held occasional religious services into the late 1930s, and the site became vacant until a restoration was completed in 1953.[8]
The 1953 renovation, overseen by a local American Legion chapter, made no changes to the building but did include restoring the original woodwork, repairing the belfry, hanging new mid-19th century style wallpaper, and refinishing the exterior.[8] In 2006, the crown of thorns on the steeple was restored and the Lewis County Historical Society installed a commemorative plaque, a "Meeker marker", in honor of early non-Native pioneer, Ezra Meeker.[9]
The Claquato Church is owned by the Lewis County Parks commission since 1952 for use as a public facility however faith services are no longer held.[6] The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.[10] The church held a 100-year anniversary in 1958 and a 150th anniversary in 2008.[6][11]
Architecture edit
The church was built using the first lumber milled by the new sawmill in the town. It features a louvered belfry and crown steeple modeled after mid-nineteenth century New England meeting houses, topped by a crown of thorns.[12] The original bronze bell, as of 2021, still hangs in the steeple; it was manufactured in Boston, Massachusetts.[8] The pews, donated by residents of Boistfort, and the pulpit, built using wood from the original organ, were hand crafted.[13] The building is 600 square feet, measuring 20 x 30 feet.[12]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ Pacific County Historical Society and Museum. "Sou'wester Summer 2006 Double". The Sou'wester. XLII (2 and 3) (Summer and Fall 2006 ed.): 11. ISSN 0038-4984. Archived from the original on 2012-02-29. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
- ^ Stanton, Carrina (October 6, 2017). "Chehalis Couple Bringing Services Back to Historic Claquato Church". The Chronicle. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ "State's Second Church". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. Vol. 25, no. 1. June 28, 1907. p. 1. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ a b "Claquato Church To Be Restored". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. May 11, 1928. p. 9. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ a b c Hall, Kathy (July 7, 2008). "A Page in History". The Chronicle. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ "Salvation Army To Use Historic Claquato Church". The Chehalis-Bee Nugget. Vol. 47, no. 18. September 27, 1929. p. 1. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ a b c "Renovation of Quaint Church at Claquato Nearly Done". The Centralia Daily Chronicle. July 23, 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ The Chronicle Staff (May 22, 2006). "Roadside sights bring history alive". The Chronicle. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ "Church joins national list". The Daily Chronicle. June 4, 1973. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ "Quaint Claquato Church Is Prepared For Sunday Afternoon Centennial Program". The Centralia Daily Chronicle. August 6, 1958. p. 1. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ a b "Claquato : A Monument to Pioneer Energy". The Daily Chronicle. May 10, 1969. p. 2. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ "Thanksgiving Day Observance Here Will Include Opening Famed Claquato Church". The Centralia Daily Chronicle. October 21, 1957. p. 16. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
External links edit
Media related to Claquato Church at Wikimedia Commons