JOHN DAY – It takes only a stroll downtown to view one of the community’s historical treasures.

On Sept. 7, members of the John Day Historic Preservation Foundation (JDHPF) welcomed many visitors as they streamed into the historical Advent Christian Church, found on the corner of Main and Bridge streets, during an open house.

The Foundation, in partnership with the Grant County Chamber of Commerce, purchased the building, along with the parsonage in 1987.

The JDHPF started out as the “Save the Church Foundation” with original members: Marshall and Debbie Gilemore, Ed and Phyllis O’Connor, Donna Krause and Joe Thompson.

Currently on the JDHPF board are: Chairman Lorene Allen, Karin Barntish, Ruth Harris, Donna Hancock, Rebecca Valentine and Lamar and Ernestine Hill.

Now that the Chamber office has moved from the parsonage to an adjacent building, the Foundation is negotiating the purchase of the parsonage for $40,000.

The church was dedicated in the year 1900, and the parsonage is approximately 20-30 years older than the church building.

Allen, a John Day resident, said the Foundation is interested in preserving both buildings.

The first item of business, after securing funding, will be to accurately date the parsonage. The group has been in contact with Greg Olson of Portland who already helped date the church and helped outline what was needed to get that building on the historical registry.

“He’s the top man in the state,” Allen said.

He also did historical work on the Kam Wah Chung and Company museum.

“We’re very interested in preserving the historical value of the church and the parsonage as a unit,” Allen said.