ca. 1931. St. Nicholas Hellenic Tabernacle, 1523 Yakima Ave. So., Tacoma. This Byzantine structure was built in 1925 from a design by architect Silas E. Nelsen. It is now known as St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. Bowen # CHU-003

ca. 1931. Trinity Lutheran Church, known as "The Gray Church," at 12115 Park Ave. So., Parkland was built in 1907 and dedicated in 1910. According to "Trinity Lutheran Church of Parkland, Washington 75th Anniversary 1919-1994," the church was designed to be cross-shaped, 70-feet long & 70-feet wide, and built of brick and stone at a cost of $16,000. There was a basement, steeple and many stairs. Nicknamed the "Gray Church," it was located where the south end of Trinity Lutheran Church's present sanctuary now stands. The "Gray Church" was finally demolished in 1957 as the location was being prepared for building the congregation's new church. (Trinity Lutheran Church of Parkland, Washington 75th Anniversary 1919-1994, p.1-2) Bowen # CHU-004

ca. 1931. Trinity Episcopal Methodist Church, 601 E. 35th St., Tacoma. This McKinley Hill church was built in 1913 from a design by Heath & Gove, architects. In 1923, the McKinley Hill Improvement Club and the church worked together to add a community hall at this site. Bowen # CHU-005

ca. 1931. Sprague Memorial Presbyterian Church, 3359 So. 58th St., Tacoma. The church was built in 1891 and has also been known as Edison Presbyterian. Bowen# CHU-014

ca. 1931. Trinity Lutheran Church, 1307 So. I, Tacoma. The church was built in 1886 as the German Lutheran Church. It was designed by architects Farrell & Darmer. It later was named Trinity Lutheran. Trinity Lutheran closed in 1949 after over 50 years. Although the structure was home to other congregations after that time, it was demolished in 1996. Bowen # CHU-029

ca. 1931. Church of Latter Day Saints, 1603 No. Steele St., Tacoma. The church was built in 1892 as Central Christian Church at 1110 So. 3rd St. It was moved to this site in 1906 and remodeled by Frederick Heath at that time. In 1917, it was purchased by the Mormon Church and became their first Tacoma branch. It has since been demolished. Bowen # CHU-031

ca. 1931. Pilgrim Congregational Church, 2213 No. Warner St., Tacoma. The church was built in 1909. Bowen #CHU-036

ca. 1931. Le Sourd Methodist Episcopal Church, 1120 No. Stevens St., Tacoma. The Church was dedicated on March 25, 1917. It was located near the intersection of No. 12th & No. Stevens. Bowen #CHU-046

ca. 1931. Elim Free Evangelical Church, 1402 So. L St., Tacoma. Built in 1921, the church was also known as the Norwegian Congregational Church. Bowen # CHU- 054

ca. 1931. International Bible Students Association (I.B.S.A.), 804 No. State St., Tacoma. This structure was built around 1908 and originally served as the Friends Church. In 1931, it was listed in the City Directory as the I.B.S.A. Tabernacle. Bowen #CHU-034

ca. 1931. St. John's English Lutheran Church, 424 So. I St., Tacoma. Constructed in 1909, this English Gothic church was designed by architects Bresemann and Durfee. It was later known as Luther Memorial Church. The congregation held its final services in this building in November of 2003; it was sold to Multicare. Bowen #CHU-026

The Lakewood community was growing rapidly in 1938 when the area's first church was dedicated. Contractors converted an abandoned old grocery store into The Little Church on the Prairie by adding a steeple, new windows and doors, and remodled interior. The white picket fence surrounding the church enhanced the Colonial architectural style that was evolving in Lakewood.

ca. 1949. Funeral, Tacoma Hongwanji Buddhist Church, exterior view. Mourners gather behind the flag-covered casket outside the Tacoma Hongwanji Buddhist Church, 1717 Fawcett Ave., in this circa 1949 photograph. There are many large floral tributes including one with "77" emblazed amidst the blooms.

Evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson, pastor of the Angelus Temple in Los Angeles and founder of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, paid a one-day visit to Tacoma on January 21, 1934, as part of a debating tour of the west. She was pictured gesturing while holding an open book and accompanied by fellow debater, Dr. Charles Lee Smith, president of the American Association for Advancement of Atheism. Dr. Smith and Mrs. McPherson debated on the subject, "There is No God." More than 1,000 people were in attendance at the Greenwich Coliseum at 407 South 13th Street to hear the debate. (TDL 1-21-34, A-2-article; TDL 1-22-34, p. 2-article)

ca. 1930. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 4845 So. L St., Tacoma. Built in 1892 and remodeled in 1922.

ca. 1930. Bethesda Baptist Church, 4340 So. L St., Tacoma, as photographed circa 1930. Built in 1907 as the Home Telephone Co. substation; Russell and Babcock, architects. The building was remodeled in 1926 by Silas E. Nelsen for the Bethesda Church. Address was formerly 4338 So. L St.; alternate address 1201 S. 45th

ca. 1930s. Rev. Jokatsu Yukawa, pastor of the Tacoma Hongwanji Buddhist Church, has donned protective gear and prepares to engage in kendo, a form of Japanese fencing. Rev. Yukawa is to the right in this sepia 1930's photograph; his masked opponent is not identified. The pair are practicing at the site of the Japanese Language School on Tacoma Avenue South, which had opened in 1921. Rev. Yukawa spent five years as the temple's minister, from 1928-1933. During his tenure, a $40,000 fund drive was initiated which culminated in the construction of the present church and junior members were organized in active Young Buddhist Association groups. He was promoted to serve a larger congregation in California and was replaced by Rev. Sensho Sasaki. (History of Pierce County, Vol. 1, p. 16) TPL-2008.

ca. 1931. Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, 7302 So. Park Ave.,Tacoma. The new South Tacoma church was dedicated in October of 1924. The pastor in 1931 was the Rev. H.N. Svinth. Bowen # CHU-002

ca. 1931. Bethany Methodist Episcopal Church, 5634 So. Park Ave., Tacoma. The church was built in 1925. Bowen # CHU-009

ca. 1931. First Lutheran Church, 6050 So. Warner St., Tacoma. The church was built in 1912 as the First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran. By 1943, it was known as Hope Lutheran. Bowen # CHU-010

ca. 1931. English Seventh Day Adventist Church, 921-23 So. I St., Tacoma. Constructed in 1893, this building was the first synagogue in Tacoma. It was designed by local architect C.A. Darmer and originally named Temple Beth Israel. Nineteen years later, the new Temple Beth Israel was built at 324 No. J St. By 1931, the pictured structure was the English Seventh Day Adventist Church, later the First Seventh Day Adventist Church. It has since been demolished. Bowen # CHU-021

ca. 1931. First United Presbyterian Church, 1619 Sixth Avenue, Tacoma. This Gothic Spanish style church was built in 1922. It was designed by Frederic & Stanley Shaw, Architects. It was dedicated October 28, 1923. After a merger in 1958, it was known as Trinity United Presbyterian Church; now known as Trinity Presbyterian Church. Bowen #CHU-033

ca. 1931. Grace Baptist Church, 3502 No. Mullen, Tacoma. The church was built in 1928 and was only a few years old when this picture was taken. Bowen# CHU-043

ca. 1931. Norwegian Danish Methodist Church, 1604 So. J St., Tacoma. The church was built around 1885. Bowen #CHU-050.

ca. 1931. Church of the Nazarene, 1001 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma. The church was built in 1909 as the Norwegian-Danish Baptist Church. It has since been demolished. Bowen # CHU-055

ca. 1931. Sacred Heart Church, 4536 McKinley Ave., Tacoma. Bowen #CHU-048.

ca. 1931. Holy Cross Parish Hall, 4302 No. Shirley St., Tacoma. The hall was erected in 1921 near Holy Cross School. Bowen #CHU-041

ca. 1931. First Swedish Lutheran Church, 5131 No. Pearl St., Ruston. The small church was built in 1902 and was also known as Saint James Englsh Evangelical Lutheran Church, Smelter Church, Ruston Chapel and Ruston Lutheran Church. The structure is now available for rental for weddings and meetings. Bowen #CHU- 040

ca. 1931. This is the Scandinavian Pentecostal Mission at 1101 South J Street as pictured circa 1931. The church was dedicated in January of 1904 as the Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church. By 1931, the time of this picture, it was known as the Scandinavian Pentecostal Mission, as indicated by the sign over the door. In 1934, the church, by then known as Bethel Pentecostal, was damaged by fire. It was re-dedicated in 1941, after extensive remodeling and an addition. Bowen# CHU-039

ca. 1930. Lutheran Free Church, 1423 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma. Built circa 1902 as the Norwegian Free Lutheran Church.