Methodist - Episcopal Church

Left: Three churches around Courthouse Square in Yreka, The Union Church, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, and the Catholic Church, circa 1889.

















Right: The Methodist-Episcopal Church corner of Lane and Oregon Streets, 1898.


As early as 1852, only one year following the discovery of gold in Yreka, a Methodist Minister was holding services in Yreka. The first site of a Methodist Episcopal Church was on the southwest corner of Miner and Oregon Streets where the Ley Fire Station now stands. It was a humble log cabin. This little log church served the congregation until about 1854.

In early Yreka it was found that a more proper and larger church needed to be built. The various denominations, including Catholic, Methodist, and Presbyterian joined together to build a church at the corner of South Oregon and Lane Streets, this new church was called the "Union Church" and was dedicated in March of 1855. Later the Union Church was sold to the Methodist Conference for financial reasons. This first church building, made of whip-sawed timber and hand planed finishing lumber served Yreka until early in 1898. This original church, according to the Yreka Journal, was carefully taken down for the construction of a new church ~ the image viewed above. The corner stone for this new Methodist Episcopal Church was laid on June 11, 1898. Some of the contents laid within the corner stone were: A Holy Bible, a copy of the Yreka Journal, June 11, 1898, the names of the minister, trustees and others, and a dime found in the old church dated 1862. This new church building was completed and the formal dedication was in March of 1900.

In 1964 the current Methodist-Episcopal Church in Yreka held groundbreaking ceremony at the corner of Fairchild and Cedar Streets where the current services are held. The building in the image above was torn down in 1970. The Girdner Funeral Home currently occupies the site where a Methodist-Episcopal Church sat for 115 years.

For those of you that have our book, Yreka, Images of America Series by Arcadia Publishing will find another copy of this image as well as one on the Methodist parsonage on page 72.

Copyright: Claudia A. East
*Information gleaned from a 1980 Publication titled, Methodism in Yreka 1852 - 1980 The Yreka United Methodist Church, Authored, and compiled by Verna Bray Tyrer and Harland McDonald. Printed by Nolan Litho, Yreka, CA

The "Union Church" ~ abt. 1855

The white building with the bell tower (also white) was the Union Church ~ founded between 1854 and 1855 in Yreka. If one is familiar with the scene in the photo, (actually the corner of Lane and Fourth Streets) the Episcopal Church with its pointed bell tower can be seen at the right, and the edge of the Catholic Church can be seen just at the left of the photo. This photo is dated circa 1880. The spot where the Union Church once stood is now home to Girdner's Funeral Home.

The Union Church has a unique little history and detailed information can be found in the publication, Methodism in Yreka 1852 - 1980 Compiled, Edited and Authored by Verna Bray Tyrer and Harland McDonald, 1980.

It was 1852 and Yreka was a fledgling town home to miners and a few businessmen who served their needs. One of the first churches in Yreka was located on the corner of Miner and Oregon Streets where the fire station now stands, it began as a simple log cabin and was the first Methodist Episcopal Church in Yreka. Within two years the small log cabin meeting place for the congregation became too small. At this time there were mostly men in town, but the few women who were here were determined to achieve their goals! According to the authors of Methodism in Yreka, three women stood out to initiate a proper place of worship. It is recorded that this new church that was to be built was not sectarian, but a true cooperative effort. There is noted a Mrs. Callahan who was a Catholic, a Mrs. Lowry, a Methodist; and a Mrs. Arnold a Presbyterian who spearheaded the task to go out and find funds for a new church!

The property was purchased on the northeast corner of Oregon and Lane Streets and soon building commenced. At this time there were no saw mills in the area so the building was made from timber located nearby. The siding and finishing lumber was planed by hand. It is reported that the church measured about 80 by 30 feet. Even a large proper bell was purchased on the east coast and transported to Yreka and installed in the steeple. The construction began in 1854 and the new Union Church was officially dedicated on March 10, 1855. The total cost was reported to have been $10,000.

It is not clear to this writer when the Union Church became the Methodist-Episcopal Church officially, but it appears that the building served with the name "Union" until 1898. In 1898 it was disassembled carefully and a new M.E. Church was built on the site.

Copyright: Claudia A. East, 2008.