Methodist Meeting House Memorial On Track
The Methodist Meeting House Memorial is the largest marker of its kind in the area.
Members of the HHS have been fighting and lobbying for the preservation of the Methodist Meeting House and its associated gravesites for over 10 years now. This is a complex story, so for the sake of brevity let us say this site is considered by the State Historic Preservation Office as one of the most important sites in the entire State of Oregon. The former Methodist Church was really no more than a log structure built on the Tualatin Plains in the 1840s.
Having said that it was the 2nd place of worship in the Oregon Territory and one of the very first places of government West of the Rockies. Over time the church became the site of burials and among those buried were the children of Oregon Pioneer Colonel Joseph Meek and his Nez Perce wife Virginia. By the 1870s the building had been mostly removed and the location left to time. It was for all practical purposes forgotten, that was until the past few years when the land was annexed into the development boundary and slated for a new 1000 van Amazon delivery center.
Watch the video below for the WHOLE story
HHS members, along with The Meek Plains Historians and the Five Oaks Coalition, went to work and fought with the City of Hillsboro over the need to preserve this amazing site. Buildings or not the land included burial sites. Hearings were held and amazing testimony was given. Facts were both proven and disputed. In the end, our groups lost the War but won the battle with the developer agreeing to a very large and intricate memorial. When finished this 12 to 15-foot-high memorial will have 5 columns with 5 names; one for each of the Meek children buried onsite. Their remains were never found despite every known scientific method available being used to locate them.
In addition to the basalt columns, the spiraling cement wall will feature 5 educational panels inset with the story of the people and the place as well as information about our native first nation people, the Atfalati. Benches, plantings, and interpretive areas will be included too.
The Methodist Meeting House Memorial Wall is taking shape in Spring 2022
Before the end of Summer, this historical place will be commemorated forever. Without HHS and our members, this would not have happened. Once done this site will be the biggest historical marker in Washington County. We take so much pride in this and the struggle will have been worth it once the job is done. The Meek Children and the families and events that took place here over 170 years ago will be marked and remembered forever.
That is a win for history and why we exist.
