"It was not until 1869 that the United Church formed a congregation in Salem. . . . . . .What of Salem in 1869 and the early 1870s? Salem then had a population just under 4,000 and included four districts: East Salem, North Salem, Salem, and South Salem, all of them showing a good deal of open space. The town was apparently healed of the numerous and strong dissensions of the Civil War. A relatively large number of businesses were ranged on State Street westward to Commercial and along Commercial northward from Ferry Street to Chemeketa Street. A railroad, the Oregon-California, later the Southern Pacific, was nearing completion. Oregon as a state was 10 years old. Salem had been legally determined as the Capitol of Oregon and Statehouse was being constructed. Willamette University had entered its second quarter century and had a staff of six, including the President, Thomas M. Gatch.

"As to churches, the Salem Directory, January 1871, shows that 10 others were already firmly established and that their combined membership was from 800 to 900 persons. That Directory describes the United Presbyterian Church as meeting at Gill's Hall with the Rev. W. R. Stewart its minister; the value of its property, $300 in chairs, organ, hymnals; its members 31. It did not yet own what was evidently a proud possession for most others - a library-one church had 800 volumes. But the Directory states concerning the U. P. congregation, 'during the coming summer it is intended to erect a brick church, on Church between Chemeketa and Center Streets hve a basement for Sabbath School and lecture room.' This plan could not be carried out; no usable basement could be included because of physical disadvantages in the topography of the site. A wooden building was erected in simple chapel style, with a light, short spire, at a cost of $5,500. It was first occupied on August 20, 1871. In this same year the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Salem built a similar structure on High Street between Marion and Union Streets. IN the early 1900s, when this church disbanded, many of its members came into First Presbyterian." (p. 15-16)

Complied by Jason A. Openo