When we first decided to move to Albany, I thought this would be an interesting church to draw someday. It sits on the corner of 5th and Washington and soon became a landmark for us as we came into town from the KOA where we were staying while house-hunting.

The church, with its 85' high tower, was built in 1891 as the United Presbyterian Church and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places by that name. In 1957, however, the name was officially changed to Whitespires. In 1967, the congregation merged with another Presbyterian congregation and Whitespires was sold. Now, it is privately owned and used for worship and other events... and someday we are going to take a peek inside! (If you are interested in such things, here is an interesting article about the history of the church and also some national level trivia about it and its congregation.)

In 2014, I decided to draw Whitespires for our Christmas card. I also had a photo of an old delivery truck tucked away in my 'someday' file. I just felt like the old church and truck belonged together. As we prepare to release this drawing, the truck is parked at Hometown Furniture Center in Lebanon, OR. If you are in that area and are interested in old vehicles of any kind, be sure to stop by. The parking lot is just an appetizer for what is inside! It is amazing! It's not just a furniture store; it's a museum.