Klamath Heritage: Klamath Falls Gospel Mission

Klamath Falls Gospel Mission, 1965 (Submitted by Klamath County Museum)

Klamath County Museum’s Photo of the Week for Nov. 11, 2018, shows the Klamath Falls Gospel Mission at 823 Walnut Street in about 1965. A sign on the building reads, “If you haven’t a friend in this world you will find one here.”

The Gospel Mission was established in 1958 in the old First Covenant Church – also known as the Swedish Covenant Church. In the congregation’s early days in the 1930s, church services were conducted in the Swedish language.

The church was erected in 1934-35, next door to the Scandia Hall. The Scandia (or Scandinavian) Hall was built in 1920. The building became the home of the Eagles Lodge in 1929, though the building was used for a wide variety of events in the 1930s, including Swedish-language church services, dances, meetings and boxing matches.

See a Google StreetView image of the two buildings:

A later addition on the front of the church building seen here provides office space for Mission staff, while another addition at the back of the building has served since 1961 as a dormitory for men.

The Klamath Falls Gospel Mission will be moving this month to brand new facilities on the Klamath Works Campus on South Sixth Street, just east of the Union Pacific Railroad switchyard. The building shown in this photo will be then placed on the market.

Information provided for Klamath Heritage is provided courtesy the Klamath County Museum.