The cutest church you ever SAW
Volunteers log long hours to help maintain Yachats icon
By Barbara Covell
For the TODAY
It has been a long battle to keep the legacy alive.
The Little Log Church Museum has been a cornerstone in the Yachats community since 1930, but a deteriorating structure has brought decisions about the future of this historic building to a standstill.
However, three determined members of this community are tireless in their quest to preserve it.
“It’s been a long battle with many starts and stops,” said Carl Miller, who has served as president of the Friends of the Little Log Church board since 1992. “We are in a struggle to conserve the history of Yachats.”
The struggle is the question of whether to restore or to replace the building’s structure. Much of this is in the hands of a structural engineer’s report commissioned by the City of Yachats, which will determine whether the structure can safely be restored or rebuilt in replicated form on the existing property.
For Miller, board secretary Mary Crooks and treasurer Karl Christianson, this is a labor of love. All three have been on the board since the early 1990s, serving as officers for many of these years. Crooks is also an interfaith minister who has performed the very popular annual Valentine’s Day vow renewal ceremony, as well as weddings and special services in the church.
“There are actually two different boards,” Mary said. “The museum board is responsible for day-to-day management, maintaining the premises so it’s operational and staffed with volunteers.” This is the board that has been in effect since 1970, when the museum was under the auspices of the Oregon Historical Society. In 1986, the Little Log Church Museum was deeded to the City of Yachats.
In 2019, Miller and Christianson were successful in obtaining a 501(c)3 status and the Friends of the Little Log Church board was established. Its sole mission is to raise funds for the restoration or rebuild effort.
“To date, we have raised $40,000 and our goal is $100,000,” Miller said. “We are vying for private grants and the City has set aside $200,000 for this effort.”
While it has taken some time, Christianson says the city is completely behind the project to preserve the museum’s legacy.
“They are funding the structural engineer’s studies,” he said. “We hope to have it completed this month so a plan can be developed proceeding forward.”
In the meantime, the structure is wrapped with tar paper for weatherizing and to prevent further damage and deterioration. The windows are boarded up and Miller says it will remain this way until construction begins. The gardens behind the museum remain open, with a landscaper maintaining the peaceful setting.
Miller, Christianson, Crook and other board members are moving ahead with fund-raising ideas that would get Yachats residents involved.
“There are a lot of new people in the area and we want to tap their energies,” Crook said. “We especially need to recruit new volunteers.”
She is spearheading the event in the gardens (see box) to raise additional monies for the renovation or rebuild project.
“We were wanting to do something to remind people that the gardens remain open,” she said.
Crook contacted Eric Bigler with the Yachats Big Band to see if a small ensemble would be available to play for a museum benefit.
“They are providing a group of 12 musicians who will play some favorite oldies,” she said. The event is free and an information table will be staffed by board members.
“We will have a donation jar — it’s all very low key. We want people to bring a blanket or collapsible lawn chairs. There’s plenty of space in this lush and peaceful setting.”
All three agree that this Sunday afternoon concert will be a reminder that the Little Log Church Museum is an integral part of Yachats’ history.
“Whether rebuilt or renovated, the footprint will be the same,” Christianson said. “We hope to expand the museum’s displays to be inclusive of indigenous people and their history in Yachats. We also plan to have interactive exhibits for children.”
Although the church and museum have been closed for two years, the Yachats community can still hear the nightly chimes at 7 pm.
“It’s a magical 90-second mini-concert of happy music,” Crook said. “Residents Light and Johanna Kaufman program the museum’s chimes to play a new song every day for a week, then repeat the cycle for a month. Depending upon the wind direction, the music can be heard in the neighborhood and nearby hillsides.”
Miller says the carillon is a daily reminder that the Little Log Church Museum is still very present in this city, often known as the Gem of the Oregon Coast.
The Little Log Church Museum and Gardens is located at 328 W 3rd Street in Yachats. For more information, email carlandkarl@peak.org.