In the spring of 1917, Fletcher Walker brought up the topic that Westwood was in need of a house of worship with his father, T.B. and wrote: “We have come to a time when it seems inadvisable to put off further the building of a working church. The Sunday school had 255 last Sunday and the condition of the school in one of the old cook houses is such that the congestion prevents efficient work.”
Fletcher informed his father that a committee had organized to solicit donations. The committee discussed plans for a building, not only its seating capacity but that it should have a full basement to provide for a library, kitchen/dining rooms, and other rooms for sociable functions such as Y.M.C.A. meetings. After considerable debate it was determined that ideally the church should seat 600 churchgoers.
Once the committee agreed to the building’s size, they were able to calculate the cost. They estimated a price tag of $8,700—with lumber the most expensive item at $4,000. Fletcher thought Red River should donate the lumber to such a worthy cause. To finance the remaining balance, the committee had already secured $3,000 in pledges.
In conclusion Fletcher wrote, “We could have the Red River Lumber Co. build the church and direct the work along lines that were best for the Company, keeping in mind that we are against the I.W.W. and politicians as well as the Assessor, etc. That the labor market is a laborer’s market and that we must make Westwood attractive if we are to keep a crew without paying excessive wages. So from my viewpoint I think we should go ahead and build it and let the people use their money on the extra running connected with it.”
By the summer of 1917 the project moved forward with Red River donating the lumber and labor. The site selected was at 500 Cedar Street, which the Rev. R.G. Green described as a rock pile strewn with empty beer and whiskey bottles. By November 1917 the new church was completed.
Initially, it was a church with no name. Since it would serve the needs of variety denominations it was named The People’s Church. On Sunday May 19, 1918 dedication ceremonies were held with Dr. John Wilson, District Superintendent of the California-Nevada Methodist Conference officiating.
My Dad, the Rev. Carl Schwarzenberg was the pastor here in 1955-56 when the mill was closed down and everyone moved away. I was 9 years old at the time and have memories of a beautiful church both inside and outside. There was a balcony around the sanctuary and a beautiful pipe organ in need of repairs. My Dad and I spent a lot of time working on the organ to get everything working again and did a tuning.
There were excellent facilities downstairs for social gatherings and the Sunday school which was organized by the suprintendent Mrs. Sundquist who was a lovely woman.
I drove around this church about 8 years ago. It was still there but sadly was not being used, was boarded up and starting to look a little sad and neglected.