Propst Lutheran Church

The oldest Lutheran Church in Pendleton County, originally founded shortly around 1769. The original two log church buildings no longer exist, however, the third structure was built by master craftsman Eugene Keister and used for services until 1892. The land was originally owned by the Propst family, which gave the land to a Lutheran congregation.

German settlers entered the area that we now call Pendleton County sometime in the early 1700's. Usually they originated from the early settlers of Pennsylvania or arrived directly from the states of Germany. Many followed the Lutheran faith as evidenced by the many Luthern churches in the area, particularly in the south eastern region of the county. The first documented Lutheran Church in Pendleton County was known as Propst Church. It received its name from John Michael and Catherine Propst, the family who gifted the land to the local congregation to build a church.

The two original structures were typical of the log churches present throughout Pendleton County in the 18th and 19th centuries. The third church, which still stands today, was built in 1887 by Eugene Keister, a famous craftsman with many buildings still extant in the county. Although built in the late 1800's, its unadorned style is contrary to more ornate contemporary churches.

A nearby cemetery contains graves from the 1700's and 1800's, along with a marker indicating the original site of the church.

Historic Properties Inventory Form , National Parks Service. Accessed August 29th, 2022. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/582ce564-b741-4928-b1a2-810e62e6fd91.