Spring Valley Presbyterian Church
Encyclopedia
The Spring Valley Presbyterian Church, also known as the Zena Church, in the community of Zena
, is a Presbyterian congregation approximately 10 miles northwest of Salem
, Oregon
, United States
.
According to a commemorative plaque
in front of the church, it was built in 1859 with volunteer labor. The lumber came by boat on the Willamette River
to the community of Lincoln. The bell came from England
via Cape Horn
.
The Zena property has had a number of people report paranormal activity, and the church has been the focus of ghost enthusiasts throughout the years. Visitors often report seeing a silhouette of man on bicycle who then disappears. Directly adjacent to the church is a small cemetery of approximately 100 headstones. Sunday church services and private weddings are still held at Spring Valley. Local families continue to bury their dead in the cemetery.
The church was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1974. http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/OR/Polk/state.html
Zena, Oregon
Zena is a former community approximately 10 miles northwest of Salem, Oregon, United States, in Polk County. The community was established in 1858 was originally called "Spring Valley". It was renamed "Zena" by D.J. Cooper and his brother, pioneers from Missouri...
, is a Presbyterian congregation approximately 10 miles northwest of Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
According to a commemorative plaque
Commemorative plaque
A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event...
in front of the church, it was built in 1859 with volunteer labor. The lumber came by boat on the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
to the community of Lincoln. The bell came from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
via Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
.
The Zena property has had a number of people report paranormal activity, and the church has been the focus of ghost enthusiasts throughout the years. Visitors often report seeing a silhouette of man on bicycle who then disappears. Directly adjacent to the church is a small cemetery of approximately 100 headstones. Sunday church services and private weddings are still held at Spring Valley. Local families continue to bury their dead in the cemetery.
The church was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1974. http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/OR/Polk/state.html