After the foundation was solidly in, they formed the sides of the building first, on the ground, then with the use of ropes and pulleys and lots of manpower hoisted up the sides. His signal to hoist was a little shipbuilder's rhyme which everyone loved and repeated often for years after.
Even though the attic of the church was built like the bottom of a ship, it was rock solid and has gained the admiration of people even today.
Later, as a special honor to Ebenezer, Bryce Canyon was given his name.
The Church Building Is UnderwayThere was an upper and a lower town site in Pine Valley. The lower site was chosen for the church and immediately men went up into a grove of trees called, "The Gulch", where they found great old trees to cut, trim, mill and haul to the building site.
Under Ebenezer's supervision huge granite boulders were placed at the corners of the foundation with limestone blocks along the four sides. Surely the Lord had prepared
this valley ahead with the rich resources readily available. Even this experienced builder was amazed to find such a treasure store. Had the Lord prepared this blessing just for them?
After workers had hoisted the building sides into place, in unison, the corners were wrapped with strips of green rawhide that tightened as they dried and formed solid
corners. The outside of the building was covered with shiplap made of half-inch boards about six inches wide, fitted over each other at the edge. The building would be two and one-half stories tall with the rafters for a roof put on and braced with huge timbers 10 to12 inches in diameter. A later generation would climb steep, narrow stairs and look with awe through the glass partition to marvel at the attic built to resemble the bottom of a ship. The ground floor of the two-story church was made into two rooms to be used for teaching school with two outside entrances. The second and main floor was a multi-purpose room. It would serve as a chapel for Sunday worship, at other times a stage outlined by a curved arch for dramas during the week and when the slat benches were moved back they could enjoy dances, parties and branch dinners.
They were proud of a curved ceiling that was suspended from a frame in the attic. It perfectly matched the arch over the stage. The members were delighted. Page 4
Originally, the chapel was heated by a large wood-burning
stove, six feet long and four feet high that could handle
large pine logs. The heat was appreciated and the smell of
the burning pine would create lasting memories. The
chapel was lighted by two brass chandeliers with four
kerosene lamps on each, ordered especially from New York.
Each of the eight windows held a brass lamp bracket. The
chapel seemed to glow with the sixteen lamps in the
windows, giving the building a special appearance from the outside which could be seen over the valley.
School was held in the building until 1919, when it was
moved away from the Valley.
Until 1966 a ladder was the only access to the attic and a tiny prayer room which was originally built for teachers to have short, inspired meetings before their classes. It was
seldom used. In 1966, narrow steps were built, leading to the attic and the prayer room. Bessie Snow, former resident, restored the school room and the prayer room to their original appearance, filling the prayer room with pictures and treasures of early Pine Valley.
As the building was finished, Ebenezer Bryce was heard to remark, "If a flood should come, it would float and if a wind came strong enough to blow it over, it still would never crash to pieces."
Visitors today are warmed by the spirit of those hardy folks, as they enjoy the timeless beauty of the Pine Valley Church, built with love and sacrifice.
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