they don't make 'em like they used to

While in Portland I came across the First Presbyterian church of Portland. Built in 1887, two types of local stone were used in it's construction. The sandstone was quarried from near Bellingham Washington, and the black stone is basalt, quarried from Mt. St Helens. It's hard to describe the look of this structure. The texture of the exterior is amazing. The steeple soars 188 feet high. Somehow they managed a fairly human-sized scale, while still creating an impressive piece of architecture. It's also amazing how stone like this holds up to the elements, as it seems to have not aged at all.

As I walked around the church, trying to envision what it took to cut and assemble this vast number of stones, I realized we'll likely never again see construction like this. Felt like a privilege to see it at all.

Posted via email from Jon Hall