The Old Log Church and Rectory were built in 1900 and 1901 respectively and are among the oldest structures still standing in Whitehorse. Landmarks in the community, they are designated for their historical, architectural, cultural and social values.

Bishop William Carpenter Bompas called on Rev. R.J. Bowen to travel to Whitehorse, an emerging community, to provide a place of worship to the people there. Having already constructed small log churches at Forty Mile and Dawson City, Bowen designed and had the Church built in just two months. The first service was held on October 7, 1900. The Rectory was completed by spring of 1901.

The Church uses simple half lap log construction. Subsequent additions show the growth and development of the Old Log Church through improved craftsmanship and the incorporation of traditional church design features such as the sanctuary, vestry and baptistery.

The construction of the Rectory exhibits a higher level of craftsmanship and design in the one and a half storey, dovetail log building with a piece- en-piece addition. The Rectory has been used almost continuously as a residence for clergy since its construction. The addition of a small school on the west end in 1904 and the addition of meeting space shows the evolution of use of the Rectory over the years.

The Church served as a centre of worship and as a social gathering place for locals, visiting dignitaries and royalty. During the construction of the Alaska Highway the church was a haven for army personnel stationed in Whitehorse who soon made up half the congregation. It served as the Cathedral for Yukon for seven years under Bishop Greenwood before the new Cathedral was built on the adjacent lot in 1960. By 1962, the Old Log Church was reopened as a museum. In the 1980s, as well as being a museum it was also known as St Simon’s Church, with a primarily First Nation congregation. Today, historical services are still held during the summer months.

In 1978, the Old Log Church was commemorated as a historic site by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Yukon.

Character Defining Elements

• Orientation and setback of the buildings from Fourth Avenue and Elliott Street.

• varieties of log construction techniques used in original buildings and additions

• The sanctuary, vestry, belfry and baptistry in the church

• Original door and window openings, sash and trim

• Interior plan and finishes including the exposed truss system, wood flooring and ceiling of the church.

• Landscaped lot with trees and grass

• Plaque and monument indicating the 1979 recognition of the site by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Yukon

Cultural History

The Church Mission Society of the Church of England sent the Reverend William West Kirkby to Yukon in 1861. He was the first missionary to enter the territory. Subsequent missionaries founded missions, often in association with early trading posts, at sites such as Rampart House, Forty Mile, and Fort Selkirk, well before the Klondike gold rush.

When Bishop William Bompas of the Selkirk Diocese sent Bowen to establish a church in the newly forming town of Whitehorse, there was no building in which to hold services. The first church services were held in a tent structure in 1900 with Bowen and his wife living in an adjacent 12 by 14-foot tent structure. After the church was built in 1900, the forward portion, now containing the chancel and sanctuary, was partitioned and used by Bowen and his wife as their living quarters until completion of the rectory in 1901.

Bowen ordered a bell for the church. The bell tower was originally separate from the church but, in 1910, the tower fell over in a storm and the bell was cracked. Although a new bell was placed in a short steeple atop the church, it was not enclosed until 1945.

In 1953, the church was named the Cathedral Church of the Diocese, thus making it the first log cabin cathedral. The building was recognized as Territorial Historic Site in 1978 but was not formally designated until 2014.

Many of the Yukon’s notable Anglican clergy and lay people spent time in this building. Isaac Stringer was the priest here from 1903 until being named Bishop of Selkirk in 1905 (named changed to Diocese of Yukon in 1907). Stringer started a school in an addition to the rectory that was likely the first day school for Indigenous children in the Whitehorse area.[41] For a short time, poet Robert Service served as the vestry secretary ca. 1904-06.

During World War II, the church became a sanctuary for soldiers working on the Alaska Highway. They made up over half the congregation. After the city was named capital in 1953, Bishop Tom Greenwood moved his headquarters from Dawson City to Whitehorse and this humble building became See Cathedral for seven years until it was replaced by the current cathedral at Fourth Avenue and Elliott Street in 1960.

Fittingly this church is now a museum of church history, one of its most important historic treasures being the building itself. Apart from the Telegraph Office, the Old Log Church is the oldest structure in Whitehorse still in its original location.

The church was also a focus for many community events and was considered important enough to be included in Queen Elizabeth’s visit in 1959. Due to its longevity on the original site, the church, rectory, and grounds are a city landmark.

Citations:

41: Yukon Government Historic Sites Inventory and City of Whitehorse Heritage Character Statement, researched and compiled by Rob Ingram.

Documentation Location

Source: Historic Sites Unit, Cultural Services Branch, Yukon Government file 3630 32 13