The Old Church (Portland, Oregon) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Calvary Presbyterian Church
|
|
_-_Portland,_Oregon.jpg)
The Old Church in 2011
|
|
 Location in Portland, Oregon
|
|
| Location | 1422 SW 11th Avenue Portland, Oregon |
|---|---|
| Built | 1882 |
| Built by | W. F. Lewis |
| Architect | Warren Heywood Williams |
| Architectural style | Gothic, High Victorian Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001086 |
| Added to NRHP | March 29, 1972 |
The Old Church, first called Calvary Presbyterian Church, is a beautiful building in downtown Portland, Oregon. It looks like a church and is built in a style called Carpenter Gothic. This means it uses wood to look like grand stone churches. The building was finished in 1882. A famous Portland architect, Warren Heywood Williams, designed it. Inside, you can see amazing stained glass windows. These colorful windows were made by the Povey Brothers Studio in Portland. The Old Church is so special that it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect important historical places in the United States.
Contents
History of The Old Church
The building was used as the Calvary Presbyterian Church until 1948. Then, it was sold to the Evangel Baptist Church. Another church group, First Southern Baptist, bought the building in 1951. This group later changed its name to Metropolitan Baptist.
Saving a Historic Building
By 1965, the building was no longer used and was put up for sale. It stayed unsold for a long time. There were even plans to tear it down. In 1967, a special group was formed. This non-profit group was called Old Church. Their goal was to save the building.
The group worked hard to raise money for one year. On April 1, 1969, they bought the building from Metropolitan Baptist Church. They paid $95,000 to save it. After this, Old Church Inc. changed its name to The Old Church Society.
Who Helped Save It?
A big part of saving the building was thanks to Lannie Hurst. She was an actress and performer. The Oregon Journal newspaper recognized her efforts. In 1969, they named her one of 10 "Women of Accomplishment." They said that few fundraising efforts had ever gotten so much support from people in Portland. Because of these efforts, The Old Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It was listed under its original name, Calvary Presbyterian Church.
What The Old Church Does Today
Today, The Old Church is a non-profit organization. Its main goals are to fix up and take care of the building. They also offer fun artistic and cultural events.
Restoring the Building
The restoration work has included big changes inside and outside. The goal is to keep the building's old look. But they also add modern things to make it useful today. For example, Jerry Bosco and Ben Milligan, who collect old items, gave The Old Church its original porte-cochère. This is a covered entrance for vehicles.
Recently, The Old Church added a new stage, a bar, and a marquee sign. They also put in new sound and lighting systems. These updates help make the space great for events.
Events and Activities
Since 1969, The Old Church has hosted free concerts every Wednesday at lunchtime. They also have concerts by musicians from Portland and other places. The building is a popular place for weddings and other special events.
See also
