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.

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. 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

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. 1931. St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 3615 No. Gove St., Tacoma. The historic church was originally built in 1915 at 3601 No. Gove St. and moved to 3615 in 1937 to make way for the reconstruction of St. Luke's Memorial Episcopal Church. This building contained the stained glass windows from the Fannie Paddock Hospital Chapel which were later moved to the rebuilt St. Luke's. After the completion of St. Luke's, this building was renamed St. Mark's house and used as church offices. Bowen #CHU-042

ca. 1931. Immanuel Lutheran Church, 4320 No. 14th St., Tacoma. The church was built in 1913 on N. 14th at the SE corner of N. Stevens by contractor A.L. Ronken. It was dedicated as Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church. It has since been demolished. Bowen #CHU-044

ca. 1931. The First Norwegian Lutheran Church was dedicated in February of 1891. This church, which still stands at 1211 So. I Street, later became the Shiloh Baptist Church with Reverend Earnest S. Brazill as its minister. Rev. Brazill retired in 1999 after serving his congregation for 44 years. He died September 1, 2000. A new sanctuary has been erected next to the old church, but the original church lives on as one of the oldest buildings on I Street. Bowen# CHU-052

ca. 1931. St. Paul Danish Lutheran Church, 1310 So. L St., Tacoma. The Church was built around 1904 and has since been demolished. By 1951, it was renamed St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Bowen #CHU-053

ca. 1931. St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 1123 No. J St., Tacoma. Architect Frederick Heath designed this Norman Gothic styled Catholic church, which was constructed in 1906. St. Patrick's was recently restored. Bowen # CHU-023

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

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