Interior of church. Simple pews, a small podium, and an Andrew Kohler piano present an intimate setting for the University Place Assembly of God church. A poster of Jesus along with religious wall hangings adorn the paneled walls. The church was located at Mountain View Avenue and South 29th Street. Edwin Oster was listed in the 1954 City Directory as the church's pastor.
University Place Assembly of God (University Place); Protestant churches--University Place; Churches--University Place; Pianos;
Dedication of the new Sacred Heart Catholic Church, photograph ordered by the Catholic Northwest Progress. Prior to entering the church, the parishioners were invited to observe the blessing and laying of the cornerstone by the Most Rev. Thomas A. Connolly, Archbishop of Seattle. The new church and rectory were built of reinforced concrete with brick facing at a cost of $316,000. The church also had a convent and parochial school, run by the Sisters of Providence, on the grounds. In 1955, the parish had 600 families and the school had 376 pupils. (TNT 3/18/1955, pg. A-5)
Sacred Heart Church (Tacoma); Catholic churches--Tacoma;
A special mass is celebrated at St. Ann's Catholic Church honoring the Rev. J. F. Milner on the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. The Most Rev. Thomas A. Connolly, Archbishop of Seattle, presided. Milner was born in Dunmanway, County Cork, and studied for the priesthood in Ireland. He was ordained All Hallows June 22, 1930 at 23 years of age. He was named pastor of St. Anns in 1943. Under his direction, many improvements were made in the church and parish hall. The new school and convent were nearing completion at the time of his Silver Jubilee. (TNT 6/25/1955, pg. 4)
St. Ann's Catholic Church (Tacoma); Catholic churches--Tacoma; Milner, J.F.;
The congregation of the Tacoma Japanese Methodist Church posed for a group portrait on November 27, 1955. A banner reading "Forward with Christ" is placed before them. There appear to be many young people in the congregation. Rev. Alpha H. Takagi was listed in the 1955 City Directory as pastor. The church underwent a name change to Whitney Memorial United Methodist Church in the 1960's but later closed in 1999 due to declining attendance. It had served Japanese-American families for more than 90 years, from its start in 1907 as a mission society for Japanese immigrants. The church was closed from 1942 to 1946 due to the war; membership increased following the reopening with the return of those in relocation camps. The University of Washington purchased the church and property in October, 1999, with plans to develop its Tacoma campus. (TNT 12-11-99, p. 1)
Tacoma Japanese Methodist Church (Tacoma); Whitney Memorial United Methodist Church (Tacoma); Protestant churches--Tacoma; Japanese Americans--Tacoma;
Patricia Henry and Alvin Larsen wedding. The bride and groom sign their marriage certificate at St. Josephs while the maid of honor and best man look on. The bride was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Forest Henry and the groom was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Emile Larsen. The couple made their first home in Tacoma. (TNT 8/19/1952, pg. 11)
ca. 1979. View of window with "Jesus Saves" in the shape of a cross; a pasted up sign below the window identities it as the "Church Deliverance Revival Center;" Rev. W. Brock, pastor. Photograph taken in 1979.
ca. 1885. St. Luke's Episcopal Church at original location of 602 Broadway. It was built in 1883 with gray sandstone obtained from the Wilkeson quarries. The church, designed by Portland architect Joseph Sherwin, was based on an old English country church. Railroad and real estate magnate Charles Wright had pledged $30,000 towards the construction in tribute to his daughter, Kate Elizabeth. In 1934 the church was dismantled and reconstructed at 3601 No. Gove St., a careful process that took over twelve years to complete. (copy of original) Bi-Centennial Project # 75346-54
St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Tacoma); Episcopal churches--Tacoma; Churches--Tacoma--1880-1890;
Parishioners celebrated the dedication of the St. Joseph Slovak Catholic Church on May 19, 1912. The church, located at 602 South 34th St., was built by congregation members who had purchased the site in April of 1908. Piles of bricks remained in the photograph's foreground across the street from the church. The structure stood 92 x 46-feet tall with a full concrete basement. The auditorium was 46 x 73-feet and seated 450 people. Membership was approximately 150. St. Joseph's was the first Slovak Catholic church built in the Northwest. (TDL 5-19-12, p. 33-article)
St. Joseph's Slovak Catholic Church (Tacoma); Catholic churches--Tacoma--1910-1920; Church dedications--Tacoma;
ca. 1944. Tacoma Central Ward. Seattle Washington Stake. Congregation in front of church during World War II. The church was located at 1603 North Steele St., the former home of Central Christian Church until 1917. A few members have been identified: Raymond N. Parker first row left, Roy McKinnon second on first row. Roy Baldwin third from right, first row and Franklin S. Harris fourth from right, first row.
Mormon churches--Tacoma; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Tacoma); Parker, Raymond N.; McKinnon, Roy; Baldwin, Roy; Harris, Franklin S.;
First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 524 So. I St., Tacoma. Photograph taken for Rev. S. G. Svenson in April of 1931. Construction began on this Gothic structure in 1925 and it was dedicated in 1929. The church was designed by Heath, Gove & Bell, architects, and was built of tapestry brick with Tenino stone trim.
ca. 1931. Parkland Methodist Episcopal Church, 200 Wheeler St., Parkland. This Parkland area church was built in 1900 and remodeled in 1924. Bowen # CHU-011
ca. 1931. Calvary Presbyterian Church, 3516 So. D St., Tacoma. The church was built in 1886 and moved a few blocks to this location in 1909. Bowen # CHU-012
ca. 1931. First Church of Christ, Scientist, 902 Division Ave., Tacoma. Built in 1911, the Greek-influenced edifice remains at its original location directly across Wright Park. It was designed by local architect Frederick Heath. Bowen # CHU-024
ca. 1931. Talmud Torah Synagogue, 901 So. 4th, Tacoma. Architects Hill & Mock designed this "Romanesque Italian Renaissance" structure, which was constructed in 1925. It was renamed Sinai Temple in 1947. In 1960, Talmud Torah merged with the reformists at Temple Beth Israel. Rabbi Richard Rosenthal was elected to lead the combined congregations. They built a new synagogue, Temple Beth El, at 5975 So. 12th St. Talmud Torah was sold in 1968 to the Tacoma Blood Bank. It was later demolished and its site used as a parking lot for Tacoma General Hospital. Bowen # CHU-025
ca. 1931. 6th Avenue Baptist Church, 2520 Sixth Avenue, Tacoma. This Gothic structure was built in 1924 from a design by Heath, Gove & Bell, architects. It was constructed from Walker Cut Stone donated by Robert Walker. The formal dedication was held on April 12, 1925. Bowen #CHU- 032
ca. 1931. St. Joseph's Church, 602 So. 34th St. Tacoma. This church was designed by C. Frank Mahon, architect, and built by congregation members. It was dedicated April 19, 1912 as St. Joseph's Slovak Catholic Church. Bowen #CHU-037
ca. 1931. First German Baptist Church, 2005 So. J St., Tacoma. The church was constructed in 1907 and originally named the First German Baptist. In the 40's, it became Calvary Baptist and in 1957, St. John Missionary Baptist Church. It has since been demolished. Bowen # CHU-038
ca. 1931. Central Methodist Church, 1953 So. I St., Tacoma. The church was dedicated on January 8, 1922 and stood at So. I and 21st St. The structure also housed Goodwill Industries. It has since been demolished. Bowen #CHU-045
ca. 1931. Bethany Presbyterian Church, 4420 No. 41st St., Tacoma. This semi-Colonial structure replaced a previous Bethany Presbyterian at this location. It was designed by the architectural firm of Heath, Gove & Bell. The structure had a brick veneer and stained glass windows from the Allen C. Mason mansion. Rev. Robert Asa Smith was the preacher at the time of construction. Bowen #CHU-047
ca. 1931. Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 702 E. Harrison St., Tacoma. The church was built in 1906 for the First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church. It was dedicated in 1907 as the Bethlehem Norwegian Lutheran Church, later shortened to Bethlehem Lutheran. Bowen #CHU-049
ca. 1931. Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1601 So. L St., Tacoma. The church was built in 1908 as the German Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. The $9000 structure was designed by H. Crosley, architect. It much later became the Miles Memorial CME Church. It was demolished in 2004. Bowen #CHU-051
ca. 1931. Bethlehem Baptist Church, 1723 So. I St., Tacoma (Identification at bottom of negative is incorrect.) The church was built in 1922 by Baptists of color to replace an older structure. The pictured church burned in 1959 and was itself replaced by a new building. Bowen # CHU-030
Young evangelist Mary Agnes Vichestain on 1926 visit to Tacoma in full preaching pose. Described as a modern girl preaching the old-fashioned gospel, Pittsburgh's Mary Agnes Vichestain, age 18, preached to a full house at the Gospel Tabernacle on July 8, 1926. Accompanied by her newspaper publisher father, V.H. Vichestain, Miss Vichestain stopped in Tacoma on her way to the West Coast. Her father reminisced that her favorite occupation as a child was to corner a family member and vigorously preach. Her first public appearance as a preacher came at age 9; she has since then spoken to audiences as large as 25,000. Miss Vichestain devotes most of her efforts to work in missions in order to help the less fortunate find salvation. (TNT 7-9-26, p. 14)
Young female evangelist, Mary Agnes Vichestain and her father, wealthy newspaper publisher J.H. Vichestain, made a return visit to Tacoma in July, 1926. Pittsburgh's "girl preacher" was known for preaching the old-fashioned gospel. An ordained Baptist minister, she spoke to a full house at the Gospel Tabernacle on July 8, 1926. Miss Vichestain planned to go on to Everett and then spend a month in Los Angeles before returning to Pittsburgh for her college education. Preaching had been her passion since age 4 when she preached to her grandfather. Her first public appearance was at age 9 when a mission leader allowed her to preach before a congregation. She also had a deep interest in politics and contemplated running for the Pittsburgh mayor's position. (TNT 7-8-26, p. 11, TNT 7-9-26, p. 14)
ca. 1925. Members of the Epworth Methodist Church attend a retreat in the woods, possibly on Mount Rainier. To the right is a rough assembly hall and in the left background is a tent. Photograph is torn upper left. TPL-7075
Epworth Methodist Church (Tacoma); Methodist churches--Tacoma--1920-1930;
Tacoma Rail & Power requested photographs in April of 1925 of South "K" St. (now called Martin Luther King Jr. Way) at 15th, showing both a north and south view. This is the view looking south on South "K" emphasizing the width of the street and the streetcar tracks in the foreground. The Norwegian Free Lutheran Church at 1423 South "K" (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way) is on the left with the Normanna Hall down the street on the right at #1502. G60.1-083
Churches--Tacoma--1920-1930; Lutheran Free Church (Tacoma); Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Street railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Streets--Tacoma--1920-1930;
