White Creek Grange
White Creek Grange

White Creek Grange

White Creek Grange - Dot, WA

Now abandoned, the White Creek Grange hall, is a sturdy building which was built in 1889, the same year Washington became a state. It first served as the Dot Community Church, then a Presbyterian, Methodist and Episcopal Church respectively. Here autumn has brought dry grass and just a tad of color near the front door.

In 1904, one of the first pastors of this church was Rev. William Douglas. He was a circuit riding preacher, riding from one church to another to preach the Word of God. His son, William O. Douglas (October 16, 1898 – January 19, 1980) became a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, serving from 1939 to 1975. William O. Douglas had the longest running term of any Justice on the Supreme Court. The Douglas family lived in Cleveland, WA, just a couple miles north of Dot, (where the grange (church) is located). The future Supreme Court Justice received his early education at the Cleveland School and attended church services here.

The structure was built for $800 through donations from those in the Dot and Rock Creek areas, the timber was purchased in Goldendale and hauled to the site by teams of horses. If you visited my blog on Election Day, the vintage ballot box featured in that post was located in this little grange hall. I really enjoy places like this, I love history and the ‘feel’ of each place is enhanced for me when I can research and find out what significance each place holds. It always saddens me when I find a place such as this and then research and can find out nothing about life there.

Sharing with ‘Rural Thursday Blog Hop #42,’ and ‘This or That Thursday.’

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36 Comments

  1. i love history too (now, didn’t so much in school lol) and when i find an old structure i immediately come home and comb the internet looking for the history…sometimes it amazes me that there isn’t info out there on every old building…that is important to me, dates of when it was built, etc….i hate when i can’t find that stuff out!

    beautiful image!

  2. Greg

    Nice photo! Think of the community that surrounded this church one time of day and the lives of people just like us that were part of it. Bet there weren’t any wind generators in their vision! Progress. Ha! Sometimes I think I would rather step back than move forward.

  3. Love this old and new photo: the old building, the new wind turbines in the distance. The building appears to be in pretty good shape. Even a roof that appears fairly new. What is it used for today, if you know.

  4. I think I have come upon this church while I lived in the PacNW (’78-’82). It sure has character. I’m Renae at #27 her at this blog hop. Sure would love you to see my site, too. I have a bunch of artsy stuff over there; photos, accessories in decor, poetry, thrift fashion and every day life. Come join. I’d love it.

  5. What a great image of that building, Madge! There are a few around here I should try to photograph again. (My sister-in-law is William O. Douglas’s granddaughter. William O. had a hunting cabin up the South Fork of the Lostine in Wallowa County and spent a lot of time there with Wallowa friends. I remember meeting his son, “Buster,” years ago when I was young. He was my SIL’s father. The “cabin” is a wonderful place still today, and it’s the kind of cabin I like: water heater, running water, and indoor bathroom!

  6. You did a great job of capturing the feel of this place. It is so full of history…I love it! In high school I certainly was not a history fan but now, it’s a different story. Can’t wait to see the new movie Lincoln. This photo reminded me!

  7. This is a great photo for so many reasons and very artistic. I do love that you share the history of these treasures with us. That is an interesting story about the Supreme Court Justice. So many of our influental and important leaders come from these humble beginnings. Good old fashioned values. xx I hope your back is feeling better.

  8. Jim Cummins

    I don’t knew when the Douglas family moved to Yakima, but I know that he graduated from Yakima High School, now Davis High School, and the he road horses and hiked in the mountains west of Yakima, and spent time in a cabin at Bumping Lake. There is a Wilderness area named after William O. Douglas. He is credited with naming Warm Lake, locaed in the Goat Rock Wilderness, and one of my favorite areas to hike. There are plans to build the William O. Douglas Trail from Yakima to the crest of the Cascade Mtns. Thank for sharing the history and photo.

  9. Wow this is wonderful. I love old building like this. Funny how Grange Halls were used as churches. There is one here in Walla Walla that was used as a church. – By the way I’ve lived in WA all my life and I have no clue where (Dot, WA) is. Can you tell me?

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