Claquato Church

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Coordinates: 46°38′33″N 123°1′18″W / 46.64250°N 123.02167°W / 46.64250; -123.02167
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Claquato Church
Claquato Church
Claquato Church is located in Washington (state)
Claquato Church
Location125 Water Street, Chehalis, Washington
Coordinates46°38′33″N 123°1′18″W / 46.64250°N 123.02167°W / 46.64250; -123.02167
Arealess than one acre
Built1858
Restored1953
Restored byAmerican Legion
NRHP reference No.73001882[1]
Added to NRHPApril 24, 1973

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]

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]

Historic photo of Claquato Church, date unknown

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]

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Stanton, Carrina (October 6, 2017). "Chehalis Couple Bringing Services Back to Historic Claquato Church". The Chronicle. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  4. ^ "State's Second Church". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. Vol. 25, no. 1. June 28, 1907. p. 1. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Claquato Church To Be Restored". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. May 11, 1928. p. 9. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  6. ^ a b c Hall, Kathy (July 7, 2008). "A Page in History". The Chronicle. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Salvation Army To Use Historic Claquato Church". The Chehalis-Bee Nugget. Vol. 47, no. 18. September 27, 1929. p. 1. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  8. ^ a b c "Renovation of Quaint Church at Claquato Nearly Done". The Centralia Daily Chronicle. July 23, 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  9. ^ The Chronicle Staff (May 22, 2006). "Roadside sights bring history alive". The Chronicle. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  10. ^ "Church joins national list". The Daily Chronicle. June 4, 1973. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  11. ^ "Quaint Claquato Church Is Prepared For Sunday Afternoon Centennial Program". The Centralia Daily Chronicle. August 6, 1958. p. 1. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Claquato : A Monument to Pioneer Energy". The Daily Chronicle. May 10, 1969. p. 2. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  13. ^ "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

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