Constructed in 1892, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, also known as the Main Street Church, has stood as a landmark anchoring east Albany for 126 years. It is Albany’s only Queen Anne church, and is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The building retains its unique historical integrity through architectural details such as original stained glass windows, doors, and ornate trim work.
 
For eighteen years this Queen Anne church–standing at a main intersection in Albany–was left vacant. The City of Albany owns the Cumberland Church, purchased as part of a plan to place a roundabout at the intersection of Main Street and Santiam Road. After plans were changed, the church was considered surplus and a new use for the building has never been pursued.  
 
But when the City decided to sell the land it sat on and the suggestion of burning the building down was made, locals took action. An organization called Save Our Cumberland formed in the summer of 2018 and the church started to come back to life. The interior was cleaned up and the local power company placed strings of lights along its eaves. Since then, the Save Our Cumberland Association (SOCA) has nominated the building for Restore Oregon’s Most Endangered Places Program and in November, 2018, it was officially added to the 2019 list.
 
SOCA has been holding monthly events and fundraisers to bring the building the attention and support of local citizens and groups.  
 
In July 2018, Albany’s Annual Historic Home Tour added the Cumberland as part of its annual public and private open house tour.
 
For October 2018, Save Our Cumberland held the Very Halloweenie Event for the community–children dressed up for a Safe Halloween Treat with Jeff McMahon, a Magician and Charlotte Norlin, a storyteller.
 
December saw an evening of Christmas decorating followed by two events. First on the Albany Historic Parlour Tour and a week later South Albany High School Choir and Calapooia Middle School Choir held a concert to a full Cumberland.
 
In February 2019 Oregon celebrated its 160th birthday. Albany opened its historic buildings to the public and included The Cumberland on its route. Camp Fire girls came dressed in period costumes and showed the public how to play the old fashioned games of yesteryear.
 
As word of the Cumberland’s reopening has spread throughout Albany, a growing number of community members and groups have asked to use the church for their events, demonstrating the need for Save Our Cumberland’s plans to turn the Cumberland into a community center. While this idea for reuse presents a number of obstacles, including moving the church to a new location, Save Our Cumberland has made significant progress in organizing and planning the next steps.
 
Restore Oregon is working with SOCA to establish partnerships, determine next steps, develop a preservation plan and market feasibility study, and determine appropriate grant funding. Completion of a feasibility study will provide a clear path to future sustainability of the Cumberland as a community center and help identify any changes to the building that will be necessary for success.
 
SOCA has met with the leaders of Albany’s most successful community minded services for guidance and to build partnerships. They have identified positions needed to start committees and held a call for anyone wanting to be more involved. SOCA has recruited Janice Calm a graphic artist, Teri Plagmann, legal counsel, and Beth Hogeland, an experienced grant writer. SOCA registered with the State of Oregon as a non-profit and entered into a fiscal sponsorship agreement with the Albany Parks and Recreation Foundation in order to accept donations. So far, they have raised over $23,000 of their $28,000 first phase goal.
 
SOCA has identified two phases of work to bring the Cumberland back to life as a community center for east Albany:
 
Short Term

Long Term

  • Based on completed plans and construction estimates, secure contributions of cash and services, grants other revenues to relocate, renovate, restore and open the Cumberland for community use (estimated relocation and construction target: $750,000)
  • Execute renovation project
  • Establish operations and management organization to sustain the facility when completed (e.g., land trust, non-profit, or other strategy)

For more information on the Cumberland, SOCA, upcoming events, and how to support this preservation and reuse effort, visit: http://saveourcumberland.org/