Old Scotch Church

Historic church in Oregon, United States

The Old Scotch Church, also known as the Tualatin Plains Presbyterian Church, is a historic[^1] wooden[^2] structure located in an unincorporated area of Washington County, Oregon , near Hillsboro , Oregon , United States. The congregation was founded in 1873, and the current Carpenter Gothic[^3] building with its distinctive eight‑sided steeple was completed in 1878.[^4] The church sits on a gently sloping parcel adjacent to McKay Creek, and its grounds include a cemetery that holds the remains of many early pioneers of the region.[^5]

The site is recognized on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places under reference number 74001723 and was added to the register on November 5, 1974.[^6] It is also listed among the National Register of Historic Places listings in Oregon and appears in the county‑by‑county catalogue for Washington County .[^7]

Location and coordinates

Address: Scotch Church Rd., Washington County, Oregon
Nearest landmark: Hillsboro
Coordinates: 45°34′22″N 122°59′39″W (45.57278°N, ‑122.99417°W)[^8]

The church’s architecture exemplifies the Carpenter Gothic style, featuring steep gables, ornamental woodwork, and the signature eight‑sided steeple that rises above the surrounding landscape.[^9]

Organization

The congregation, originally called the Tualatin Plains Presbyterian Church, was organized in 1873. The first worship service took place on November 16, 1873, inside the four‑room Columbia Academy schoolhouse, located approximately four miles (6 km) northwest of the present site.[^2][^10]

Early membership

The founding members were primarily Scottish immigrants from the Aberdeenshire region of Scotland, an area situated west of Aberdeen .[^2] In their homeland they had been adherents of the Free Church of Scotland .[^2] After emigrating to the United States and moving to the fertile Tualatin Valley, they established a tight‑knit community that would later give the church its colloquial name “Old Scotch Church.”[^2]

The twelve original pioneers were:

Mr. and Mrs. William Chalmers and their eleven children (the youngest, Catherine, was the first person interred in the cemetery).
Mr. and Mrs. James Smith.
Rev. George Ross and his wife.
Mr. and Mrs. George Alexander and their daughter Eliza.
Miss Alexander and John Milne.

Subsequent generations—eight of the original twelve founders and many of their descendants—continue to rest in the surrounding cemetery.[^2]

Structure

Original construction

In 1876, local farmer Jacob Hoover donated one acre (approximately 4,000 m²) of land to the congregation for use as a permanent church building and cemetery.[^3] On March 11, 1878, the church board authorized an estimate for construction, which was completed at a cost of $2,120.[^2]

The architectural plans were drawn up by Mr. Balantyne, whose design incorporated several hallmark Carpenter Gothic elements:

Buttresses to support the steeply pitched roof.
Stained glass windows imported from Scotland, providing colorful illumination inside.
A steeply sloping roof designed to shed heavy rain and snow.
The iconic eight‑sided steeple, which later received a church bell in 1926.[^2][^11]

Much of the building material and labor was contributed voluntarily by the congregation itself.[^4] The structure was completed later that same year and formally dedicated in 1878.[^2]

Expansions and modifications

1905: An annex was added to the rear of the building, providing additional classrooms for Sunday School instruction.[^2]
1940: The annex was further expanded, and a half‑basement was incorporated.
1955: A second addition introduced the first indoor restrooms to the church.
1959–1960: The entire building was raised to accommodate a full basement, dramatically increasing usable space.
1984: Construction of four new classrooms completed the expansion program, modernizing the facility while preserving its historic envelope.[^2]

These incremental additions reflect the congregation’s evolving needs while maintaining the integrity of the original Carpenter Gothic architecture.

Cemetery

The churchyard cemetery serves as the final resting place for numerous early settlers of the Oregon Country.[^2] Among the most notable interments is Joseph Meek, a prominent mountain man, member of Oregon’s Provisional Government, and the first U.S. Marshal of the Oregon Territory.[^2][^12] Meek died on June 20, 1875; his remains were initially buried on his homestead near a historic marker along the Sunset Highway before being relocated to the church cemetery.[^3]

A cairn was erected in 1985 as a memorial to the ancestors of the original Scottish settlers who perished during the Massacre of Glencoe in 1692 at Glen Coe .[^5] The cemetery also contains a diverse array of gravestones that chronicle the lives of families who shaped the early agricultural and civic development of the Tualatin Plains.

Currently

Today, the Old Scotch Church remains one of the oldest continuously used churches in Oregon.[^2] It holds the distinction of being the 13th historic site in Washington County to receive recognition on the National Register.[^2] The congregation continues to conduct weekly services every Sunday within the original Carpenter Gothic sanctuary, preserving both the spiritual and architectural heritage of the community.[^2]