The Wilsonville Methodist Episcopal Church, fondly referred to by residents as the “Old Church,” was dedicated on Aug. 27, 1911. Upon its opening, the building was debt-free and complete with an organ purchased during the construction period at the insistence of women members of the congregation.
Designed in the Gothic Revival style, the church was built for $3,500 on farmland valued at $500 that was donated by a member of the congregation. Its height of 53 feet at the steeple top made it the tallest building in Wilsonville for decades.
Services were held under the light of oil lamps until 1928 when electricity was added. The bell in the belfry tolled to call the congregation together for Sunday worship and other events. Ice cream socials were popular as were oyster soup suppers, taffy pulls, pot luck dinners and annual Christmas pageants.
In 1992, the congregation moved to a new building on east Wilsonville Road. The beloved Old Church was briefly occupied by a different congregation, then sat abandoned for years. The church and surrounding properties were sold to the Fred Meyer Co. in 1996, and residents called for its preservation. McMenamins Pubs & Breweries then restored the building and it reopened to the public in August 2011, almost 100 years to the day of the church’s dedication.