The Little Log Church in Yachats was built with donated labor and materials in 1927 and was officially dedicated in the early 1930s.
The logs were floated down the Yachats River and hauled to what is now the corner of West Third and Pontiac streets in downtown Yachats by teams of horses.
Records show the Rev. Reverend Roland Phelps and his wife, Stella, purchased the property in 1929 for $200. Many photos in circulation carry a date of 1927 but Yachats historians now believe that is incorrect and should be 1930.
The church started as an Evangelical Church and operated as a Presbyterian Church from 1950 until 1968, when the congregation moved to their new building on West Seventh Street and Lincoln County Historical Society acquired the old building and operated it as a museum. It was deeded to the city of Yachats in 1986 and continued to run as a museum and to hold wedding ceremonies and small performances.
The Little Log Church – now called the Little Log Church Museum — has undergone many restoration projects to repair structural issues over the years and has been closed and protected from the elements since 2021. After years of debate, study and inspections, the city of Yachats is expected to begin work on repairing and restoring it this spring.
- Historical photos and text provided by the Lincoln County Historical Society in a partnership with YachatsNews. To learn more about the society and local history, visit its website here. A sampling of historic images from the LCHS collection can be seen at OregonDigital.org
- For a more detailed history of the Little Log Church Museum, go to the website of the Friends of the Little Log Church and Museum
