ECHO — There was much to see and do May 17 in downtown Echo with the annual Echo Car Show, an open house for the historical St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church.

Christina VanNice, president of Echo’s Parent Teacher Organization, said a total of 65 automobiles cruised into Echo for the event. They were divided into 26 categories based on years and models, along with new award categories of People’s Choice and Best of Show.

Shane Page’s 2022 Maddog Ruckus won the People’s Choice honor while Jim Cheyney’s 1956 Chevy Bel-Air received the Best of Show award. The trophies, VanNice said, were courtesy of Joey Sabuco and Phipps Chevron.

Complimenting the displayed cars were a raffle and 22 vendors with foods and artisan crafts, including Ma & Pa Kettle Corn, Muggle Made Designs and Scentsy.

Although the drizzly weather was not the most favorable, VanNice said the car show ran smoothly. She thanked the Echo school and community members for their support in preparing and cleaning up the event, with a special shout-out to Pendelton’s Hill Meat Co. and the Hermiston Walmart Distribution Center for donating more than $1,000.

St. Peter’s Church open house

Cars were not the only thing on wheels in Echo for the day. A mule-drawn wagon was in action, ferrying people to and from St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church on Echo’s western edge.

Following the five minute Equine Elegance ride, Echo Heritage Association President Phyllis Shovelski gave tours of the 112-year-old Portuguese-based church and its restoration progress. Shovelski and EHA Treasurer Michael Duffy said more than 100 people stopped by to experience this glimpse of Echo’s past.

“People started rolling in around 10 a.m., and I never left,” Shovelski said.

“The ones that really surprised me that enjoyed the whole experience were the little guys, maybe teenage and less,” Duffy said. “They’d come back with this wonderful look on their face.”

This was the second year the Echo Heritage Association held an open house of the church in conjunction with the show, and the two association board members said they are looking forward to doing so again next year.

“We feel like this church is an integral part of Echo and it shouldn’t be allowed to fall down,” Shovelski said.

Shovelski and Duffy said their focus is to acquire the adjacent property behind the church, per the block grant, on which they plan to construct a community senior center similar to those in Stanfield and Hermiston. This fulfills the EHA’s mission of ensuring Echo’s future, Duffy said. Other tasks include updating the cement base, adding plumbing and making the church more accessible.

“We’d like to have more exterior upgrades so that people in the community can see that we’re really doing something,” Shovelski said.

The EHA is working with Mark Seder Architect and Design, while also consulting with Craig Schomer of A.C. Schomer.

One of the major challenges in this endeavor, Shovelski and Duffy said, is deciding whether to make St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church functional for years to come or preserve its historical aesthetic.

“Some people would argue that the lath and plaster needs to be removed and completely replaced, take the walls clear to the studs,” Duffy said. “Others would say, ‘Don’t even think about it.’”

If the EHA receives federal funding, Duffy explained, then it must comply with the State Historical Preservation Office standards of restoration accuracy. However, there arises another issue as there are not any pictures of the original interior. As a result, Shovelski said the EHA has been conducting research and utilizing first-hand accounts to be as historically accurate as possible.

The long-term goal, Duffy said, is for the Diocese of Baker to use St. Peter’s, including for functions such as weddings and conferences.

To learn more about St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church or support restoration efforts, contact Shovelski at Phyllisshovelski@gmail.com.