Enumclaw’s Danish Hall has stood above the city’s downtown corridor for 119 years — and thanks to a recent renovation project, the Danish Sisterhood hopes it’ll be standing for centuries more.

Through the month of September, the Danish Hall’s southwest-facing wall was torn down to the original cedar wood to address some structural issues.

The last time the Danish Hall was painted, which was in 2013, “the painters were supposed to caulking all around,” said Pepe Terou, a member of the Danish Sisterhood. “They didn’t do that.”

The nonprofit group watched the sheathing and trim start to deteriorate, “so it was important to get the job done before another winter caused more extensive damage,” said Carol Linger, another Danish Sisterhood member.

They ended up hiring Vine Maple Construction in Maple Valley to do the work, and the project fell just short of $25,000.

As workers stripped away layers of wall, anyone walking or driving on state Route 169 could see small pieces of history be revealed in the light of day.

Sometime in the 1970s, it appears the Danish Hall’s siding consisted of a faux brick pattern. Contributed photo

Once the blue outermost layer was stripped away, the building revealed faux brick siding that was put up in the 1970s.

It might have looked good back then, but the style didn’t age well.

“‘70’s siding, yikes!” Terou said.

But when that layer was removed, the building’s original wood was out on display.

According to Terou, after the Danish Brotherhood formed in 1898, they bought a feed store out in the Birch area north of Enumclaw, took it apart, and paid a local man haul the materials the three miles into town, where the Danish Hall was then built.

“It’s nice to see the wood is still all good in there,” Terou said. “It’s amazing that they didn’t paint it, either, to help preserve the cedar.”

The Danish Sisterhood held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 29. The ceremony was dedicated to Sandy and Frem Terou, who organized and oversaw the project.

With this project now completed, the Danish Sisterhood is looking at applying for the building to become a King County historical landmark, Lingner said.

VIKING FEAST

The Danish Hall project was partly funded with money raised at the annual Viking Feast. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 19.

The annual event includes a full four-course dinner, which features a whole smoked pig, thanks to Olson’s Meats. There will also be live entertainment, trivia games, and a raffle that will include a live turkey — the winner can decide whether to take the turkey home to eat (or raise) or pardon the turkey to live out its life on a farm.

Tickets are $45, and spots are limited; contact Terou at 360-802-4326 for reservations or questions.

For more information please visit www.enumclawdanishsisterhood.com.

The Danish Sisterhood gathered together on Sunday, Sept. 29, for a small ribbon cutting celebrating the repair of the Danish Hall. Photo by Ray Miller-Still