Claquato Church | |
Claquato Church | |
Location | 125 Water Street, Chehalis, Washington |
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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 |
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]
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]
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]