Sunday Church Feature
Rockford United Methodist  (Episcopal) Church
Rockford, Washington


At 217 So. 1st Street in the center of Rockford, Washington and across from the Pump House, a Methodist Church has sat since 1879.  Today called the Rockford United Methodist Church the church building in the photo above is the third church built on the site. 

The church congregation originally met in the home of Mrs. Charles Farnsworth.  The first church building was to be built in 1880 as a gift from the Farnsworth Lumber Company. This first Rockford Church building was very small and primitive with hand hewed slabs for pews.  It was torn down in 1883 and a larger church built on the same site in 1884. (See photo below.)

The 1884 Rockford United Methodist (Episcopal) Church

Note: The parsonage is on the left and the Rockford School in the background.

"The sanctuary Rostrum was carpeted with "Red Ingrain" carpeting...  The room was  heated with  a large wood burning heater near the back of the room. There were two aisles going from the back to the Rostrum,  with one wide tier of pews from back to front, and a narrow tier on either side which were fastened to the sides of the structure walls.   There was room at the side of the Altar for the Choir to sit and room for a nice organ of the foot pump variety. (Marie Pratt Lee Reference.)

"When  the Armistice was signed in 1918, the church bells were rung all over the land.  It had been thought that our bell had been rung  too vigorously, which weakened the tower and the roof structure, which the heavy snow of 1922 proved its undoing and it had to be torn down." (See Reference Marie Pratt Lee.) In 1922 this building was condemned and torn down.   The present church, the one in the top photo, was built in 1923.  During the demolition and new construction the congregation met in the Presbyterian Church.

The present minister Rev. David Lura is also the past minister.  Rev. David Lura served the congregation of the Rockford United Methodist Church 1980 to 1984.  Then he was called to serve "on the other side of the mountains".  This September, 2010, in his retirement, he has again become the minister of the Rockford United Methodist Church. 

The Rockford Community Methodist Church is also presently used as for performances. "August 21st 7pm--Free Piano Concert by recording artist John Nilsen @ Rockford United Methodist Church" (See Link 2.) 

Note: For more about Rockford, Washington see blog post September 25, 2010, Saturday Travel Feature, 1916 Pump House, Rockford, Washington.

Thank you: To Rev. David Lura and Ester Hemken for information regarding the Rockford United Methodist Church. To Paul Gillespie for e mailing the reference information and the photo from the Rockford Museum collection.

Demolitions: Of the approximately 1880 church in 1983.
                 Of the 1984 church in 1922.
Photos: Top photo taken in 2007 by SW. 
                 Bottom photo from the Rockford Museum collection.

References:  Historical Sketch of Rockford United Methodist (Episcopal) Church, 1879-1979, One Hundred Years of Methodism in Rockford, Washington.  Historical Sketch from the Dedication Bulletin, the Rockford Methodist Episcopal Church, November, 1923, by Marie Pratt Lee.

Link 1:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockford,_Washington
Link 2:http://rockford-wa.blogspot.com/

Saturday Travel Feature

1916 Pump House
Rockford, Washington

Rockford, Washington is a small, .7 square miles, town in the rolling hills south of Spokane, Washington.  As of the census of 2009 there were 513 people residing in the town. (Paul Gillespie.) It is an old town,  officially incorporated on June 18, 1890.  (See Link 1.)

The most predominant old building in Rockford, Washington is the bright red brick 1916 Pump House on 1st Street.  The building was originally built by Washington Waterpower as a pump house for the town's water system.  In the 1980's it housed the Rockford Museum. And in 1989 they provided the new red metal roof as part of the town and state centennial celebration. However, the building proved to be too small to house the Museum collection.  The building is presently not used for anything, but it is an interesting feature in the center of town. (See Link 2 for photo of the Pump House.)

This  very weekend  the annual South East Spokane County Fair will be held in Rockford, Washington. All 413 residents plus guests from the Spokane area will be there to join in the festivities. The fair kicks off with a local parade in the town center, up West Emma Street to 1st Street.  The town's people decorate floats and throw candy to the crowd.  Children decorate their bikes.  Preschoolers walk with their moms.  The town's fair grounds near the corner of West Emma Street and 1st Street provides the setting for a petting zoo, farm animals on display, food stands, a covered eating area, a stage with bleacher seating, the Ag Building with displays, booths selling books and homemade crafts, and a few carnival rides.

Thank you: To Evelyn Fricke and Paul Gillespie for information
                         on the Pump House.
Photo: Taken in Rockford, Washington in 2007 by SW.
Link 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockford,_Washington                      
Link 2: http://rockford-wa.blogspot.com/