Log Cabin United Brethren church

Siting and Setting Description: The property lies within Boise’s East End on an angled street grid, fronting E Bannock Street. The church stands on a lawn at the Bannock and Bruce corner. Concrete sidewalks follow both streets, and the rear edge meets the alley. A raised entrance faces Bannock, with stairs and a long access ramp. The lower attached wing extends into the side yard, maintaining separation from adjacent dwellings. The applicable neighborhood development era is not documented in the supplied record. Main Building Description: The church occupies a corner lot at the intersection of E Bannock Street and Bruce Avenue. Its principal façade faces southwest, fronting E Bannock Street. The construction date is unknown. The church has a tall one-story worship volume, a lower entrance projection, and an attached side/rear wing, producing an irregular footprint. The exposed foundation is concrete, with low rectangular basement openings. Rounded horizontal wood logs with projecting notched ends suggest log construction, although concealed reinforcement and framing are not visible. Asphalt shingles cover the steep principal gable and lower wing roofs. Wood shingles cover the entrance wall and upper gable fields. Rectangular side windows repeat along the log walls; small windows occur at the entrance and rear gable. A small open belfry with a gabled roof and slender spire rises above the front. Concrete stairs lead to plain entrance doors, while a long wood ramp with wood rails approaches from the side. A cross marks the entrance gable, and brick chimneys rise at the rear and wing. The preliminary recommendation is contributing, subject to the review described below. Character-Defining Features: – Overall Massing: The elongated worship volume has a steep roof and a lower gabled entrance projection. An attached low wing creates an irregular plan. The small belfry and slender spire provide vertical emphasis above the entrance. – Roof Form and Details: Asphalt shingles cover the steep principal gable and lower projecting roofs. Exposed wood roof members and plain overhangs reinforce the Rustic treatment. The open belfry contains a visible bell beneath a small gabled cap and slender spire. – Cladding Materials: Rounded horizontal wood logs form the visible long walls, with projecting notched ends at corners. Wood shingles in regular courses cover upper gables and the entrance projection. The shingle fields contrast with the strong horizontal log courses. – Fenestration and Window Details: Rectangular windows repeat along the side walls within plain wood frames. Small high rear openings have diamond-pattern glazing or grille divisions; their assembly is not fully resolved. Small entrance-wall windows contrast with the larger side openings. – Porch or Entry Treatment: The low gabled entrance projection has plain doors beneath a wall-mounted cross. Concrete stairs and metal stair rails serve the raised entry. A long wood ramp with horizontal wood rails runs along the frontage and provides a second approach. – Chimney: Slender brick chimneys rise against the rear gable and at the lower wing. Their tall plain shafts contrast with the horizontal logs. – Foundation: An exposed concrete basement wall has low rectangular openings beneath the log walls. Concrete also forms the principal entry stairs. – Style Elements: The log walls, notched projecting ends, shingle gables, exposed wood details, and modest belfry support a Rustic ecclesiastical interpretation. The bell and cross express the church use directly. Summary of Known or Observed Alterations: – Unknown date: The long access ramp is an apparent later accessibility improvement. It is attached at the entrance level and leaves the gabled worship volume and belfry visible. – Unknown date: The lower wing and shingle-clad entry projection may reflect separate construction phases. Their chronology cannot be established from their differing forms alone. – Unknown date: Plain entrance doors and exterior mechanical equipment are current treatments. Earlier door designs and installation dates are undocumented. Garage Description: A garage is not evident. The low log-clad wing is attached to the principal church and is included in the single-building count. Its gabled roof, rectangular windows, concrete base, and brick chimney repeat the principal building’s material vocabulary. No detached accessory resource is assigned from the four photographs.