Ebenezer Schoolhouse - United Methodist Historic Site - Alpine, OR - Oregon Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

Located just off Bellfountain Rd is a historical marker that reads:

On this knoll stood Ebenezer School-
house, built in 1850. The first school
in the historic Belknap settlement, it was
also used for Methodist Sunday school
and class meetings.

In 1854, the second Methodist Conference
on the West Coast was held here with
Bishop Simpson, who came from the east
by ship, officiating

An old book from 1885 titled, History of Benton County, Oregon; Geology, Topography, Soil and Productions, briefly highlights this historic site in more detail and reads:

In the fall of the year 1850 a school was opened on the Gilbert place, in the Belknap settlement and first taught by Lennel F. Starr. It received the name of "Ebenezer," and in it, soon after its completion, the first Annual Conference for Oregon of the Methodist Episcopal Church was held under the presidency of Bishop Simpson. In regard to the religious interests of this settlement it may be stated that as long ago as 1848, a small congregation of Methodists was organized by Rev. John Kennedy in the house of John Luce, while in 1862, the Simpson Chapel, of the same denomination was constructed.

The Simpson Chapel mentioned above was burned down in the 1970s and was located just south of the Simpson Chapel Cemetery (also known as Alpine Cemetery) located north of the historical marker.

Historic Topic: Pioneer Group Responsible for placement: Other Marker Type: Roadside Region: Willamette Valley County: Benton State of Oregon Historical Marker "Beaver Board": Not listed Web link to additional information: Not listed

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