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.;

ca. 1944. Tacoma Central Ward Aaronic Priesthood boys displaying their Standard Quorum Award with Bishop Franklin S. Harris and James Milligan. First boy on left is Robert E. Evans.

Mormon churches--Tacoma; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Tacoma);

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;

Bishop Edward J. O'Dea at dedication of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 602 South 34th Street, on May 19, 1912. He was assisted by Rev. Father Paul Kern and Rev. Aloysius Mlinar, rector. Some of the 150 members appeared in this photograph with two young girls carrying large bouquets. St. Joseph's was the first Slovak Catholic church built in the Northwest. The building and ground were paid for entirely by Slavonian church members or those in the Slovak community. The church was built by its congregation who labored after finishing their regular jobs. It was estimated that this volunteer labor saved more than $10,000 in construction costs with the building costs initially set at $25,000. (TDL 5-19-12, p. 33-article)

St. Joseph's Slovak Catholic Church (Tacoma); Catholic churches--Tacoma--1910-1912; Church dedications--Tacoma;

The congregation of the German Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church celebrated the dedication of the $8000 church located at South 16th and "L" Sts. on September 27, 1908. Rev. Arthur Spleiss of Sherwood, Oregon, delivered the dedicatory morning service. An afternoon and evening service followed led by Rev. H. Janssen of North Yakima and Rev. W.H. Behrens of Portland respectively. The new church was 44 x 86-feet and had a seating capacity in its auditorium of 500. In addition, there was a large Sunday School room. In 1953 the Miles Memorial CME Church purchased the property. It was demolished in 2004. (TDL 9-27-1908, p. 32-article)

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church (Tacoma); Lutheran churches--Tacoma--1900-1910; Church dedications--Tacoma;

Members of the Polish National Alliance posed at the dedication of St. Joseph's Church, 602 South 34th St., on May 19, 1912. The men all wear ribbons/medals. It is not known whether the large group participated in the parade down Pacific Avenue prior to the church dedication.

St. Joseph's Slovak Catholic Church (Tacoma); Catholic churches--Tacoma--1910-1920; Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1910-1920; Polish National Alliance (Tacoma);

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;

ca. 1887. This is St. Luke's Episcopal Church as it looked c1887 when it stood at 602 Broadway. St. Luke's was built in 1883 with gray sandstone brought from the Wilkeson quarries. In 1934 it was dismantled, and reassembled brick-by-brick at 3601 No. Gove. St.

Churches--Tacoma--1880-1890; St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Tacoma);

US Congressman Wesley Lloyd's funeral at the First Baptist Church. Casket draped with flag, stage covered with flowers. The Church is adorned with 150-200 separate floral displays. Representative Lloyd died of a heart attack in his apartment in Washington, D.C. The Tacoma attorney was serving his second consecutive term as the Democratic representative for the new 6th Congressional District. The district was composed of Tacoma, Pierce County and most of King County, outside of Seattle. The criminal lawyer was the partner of Leo McGavick. He and his family resided at 3919 No. 34th. (T. Times 1/16/1936, pg. 5)

First Baptist Church (Tacoma); Lloyd, Wesley--Death & burial; Funeral rites & ceremonies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lying in state--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Publicity for Easter in 1937 at Christ Episcopal Church. Richard Reynolds, crucifix held high, leads a procession of the Boys Choir. Building by Daniels and Cook, Architects, constructed in 1889 as Trinity Episcopal and demolished circa 1969. (T.Times 3/27/37 p. 8) (photo filed with Argentum)

Christ Episcopal Church (Tacoma); Choirs (Music); Choirboys; Reynolds, Richard;

The boys of Saint Patrick's beat Visitation, Holy Rosary, Sacred Heart, and Saint Leo's to win the Parochial Basketball League title in 1936. Only the last names of the players on St. Patrick's team were listed in the Tacoma Times when this photograph was published on March 13, 1936. They were: (l to r, standing) Burkehouse, Kroha, Haaker, King (the manager) and Giannelli; (l to r, seated) Weaver, Wonder, Realey and DesMaris.

Church schools--Tacoma; St. Patrick's Parochial School (Tacoma); Basketball players--Tacoma--1930-1940; School children--1930-1940;

ca. 1888. St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 602 Broadway, Tacoma, W.T. This circa 1888 photograph shows a man barely visible who is hanging from the side of the spire. The English Gothic-styled church may have been in the process of some kind of repair as there are timbers sticking through the openings of the tower. It was built of gray sandstone in 1883 in tribute to Kate Elizabeth Wright, the daughter of Charles Barstow Wright. Photograph courtesy of the John Ogden Collection. TPL-10171

St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Tacoma); Episcopal churches--Tacoma;

St Peter's Episcopal Church, 2910 North Starr Street in Old Tacoma (W.T.) Photograph courtesy of the John Ogden Collection. At the time of this August, 1888, photograph, St. Peter's was 15 years old. The small (21 x 45-foot) Carpenter Gothic church was built in only ten days in August of 1873 on land donated by Edward S. "Skookum" Smith and Captain Starr. It is Tacoma's oldest church. As the label on the photograph notes, St. Peter's had the oldest church tower in the United States. An aged fir, cut at 48-feet, served as the bell tower. The age of the tree trunk was used in the calculation of the tower's age. The original tree was replaced by a new tower in 1935 when it was damaged by a windstorm. St. Peter's Episcopal Church is on the City and National Register. TPL-10166

St. Peter's Episcopal Church (Tacoma); Episcopal churches--Tacoma;

This photograph of young children holding daffodils was taken at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church on Easter morning, 1935. The church, at 901 No. J Street, was built in 1908 and services began there in April, 1909. Designed by Ambrose J. Russell, the California (Spanish) mission style church was one of the earliest churches in this architectural style in the Northwest. It was included in the historic buildings "Grand Homes of Tacoma" tour in 1994.

Immanuel Presbyterian Church (Tacoma); Presbyterian churches--Tacoma--1930-1940; Easter--Tacoma; Children--Tacoma--1930-1940; Daffodils;

Pageant at Central Lutheran Church, for Mr. Stine. From the costumes and the date of the picture, this was most likely a nativity pageant. (WSHS)

Central Lutheran Church (Tacoma); Lutheran churches--Tacoma--1930-1940; Pageants--1930-1940; Theatrical productions--1930-1940;

Scofield graduating class of the Independent Bible Church, Tacoma. The banner behind the group reads "Search the Scriptures Daily." The pastor of the church was the Rev. Roy T. Brumbaugh. This new church was created when Rev. Brumbaugh split from the First Presbyterian Church. Four hundred and sixty-five members signed up with Dr. Brumbaugh to join the Independent Church. He typified his members as "fundamentalists" who opposed the organization of the Presbyterian Church. The Bible Church met at the Scottish Rite Temple, 5 So. G St., which it purchased in 1937. In 1943, the church dropped the Independent and became the Tacoma Bible Church. (T. Times 8/22/1935, pg. 1)

Independent Bible Church (Tacoma); Graduation ceremonies--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Interior of First Baptist Church showing choir members in gowns.

First Baptist Church (Tacoma); Baptist churches--Tacoma--1930-1940; Choirs (Music);

ca. 1903. St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 2910 North Starr St, as viewed circa 1903. The tiny 21 x 45-foot wood church is considered to be Tacoma's oldest church, built in 1873 on land donated by Edward S. "Snookum" Smith and Capt. Starr with timber donated by the Hanson-Ackerson Mill. The unusual bell tower is actually a fir tree cut at 48 feet with its bell donated by the Sunday School of St. Peter's Church in Philadelphia. A windstorm in 1935 resulted in a new tower which replaced the unique Old Town fir tower. St. Peter's is on both the City and National Registers.

St. Peters Episcopal Church (Tacoma); Episcopal churches--Tacoma;

Conference at the First Methodist Church. Registration. Delegates to the Methodists Northwest conference receive a warm greeting at the registration table located in the First Methodist Church in June of 1940. 500 from Washington and Idaho were expected to attend the conference which ran from June 12 to June 16. All sessions were held at First Methodist Church. (T. Times 6-11-1940, p. 5-article; )

Methodist churches--Tacoma--1940-1950; Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950; First Methodist Church (Tacoma); Recording & registration--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Conference at the First Methodist Church. Registration. Several men gathered at table with adding machines and papers. Tacoma's First Methodist Church hosted the second annual Methodists Northwest conference from June 12- June 16, 1940. Bishop William E. Martin of Omaha presided. In 1939 two branches of the Methodist church in the Northwest, Methodist Episcopal and Protestant Methodist church united to become the Methodist Church. (T. Times 6-11-1940, p. 5-article; T.Times 6-13-1940, p. 1,24-article)

Methodist churches--Tacoma--1940-1950; Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950; First Methodist Church (Tacoma); Recording & registration--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Conference at the First Methodist Church. First Methodist Church of Tacoma was hosting the annual Methodists Northwest Conference from June 12 to June 16, 1940 at the church located at 4th & "K" (later Martin Luther King Jr. Way). Besides the business sessions and committee meetings, delegates found time to relax and enjoy activities in the church's large social hall. Here some attendees line up to play shuffleboard, one of the more popular exercises, the other being archery. (T.Times 6-14-1940, p. 3)

Methodist churches--Tacoma--1940-1950; Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950; First Methodist Church (Tacoma); Shuffleboard;

Constanti - Taylor wedding ceremony in St. Patrick's Catholic Church. Church has high, vaulted ceiling. Three large lights with multiple globes hang from ceiling. Elaborate altar adorned with floral arrangements. Shirley Constanti and Keith Bogan served as attendants for Marie Eileen Constanti and Thomas Zachary Taylor at the 9:30 a.m. ceremony on March 25, 1940. A reception followed in the Rose & Gold room of the Hotel Winthrop. The newlywed couple will be making their home in San Diego, California. (T.Times, 3-25-40, p. 7)

St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Tacoma); Weddings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Constanti, Marie Eileen--Marriage; Taylor, Thomas Zachary; Brides--1940-1950; Grooms (Weddings)--1940-1950; Altars--Tacoma;

First Presbyterian Church, artistic view of exterior with clouds overhead and automobile parked by grassy island across from church.. Cram and Ferguson with Sutton, Whitney and Dugan, Architects; 1920-24. (T.Times, Spring Edition)

Presbyterian churches--Tacoma; First Presbyterian Church (Tacoma);

St. Patrick's Church, general view of exterior. Large stone church building by Frederick Heath, Architect; 1906. (T. Times, Spring Edition)

St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Tacoma); Catholic churches--Tacoma;

St. Patrick's Church, general view of exterior. Large stone church building by Frederick Heath, Architect; 1906. (T.Times, Spring Edition)

St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Tacoma); Catholic churches--Tacoma;

First Presbyterian Church, artistic view of exterior with clouds overhead and automobile parked by grassy island across from church.. Cram and Ferguson with Sutton, Whitney and Dugan, Architects; 1920-24. (T.Times, Spring Edition)

Presbyterian churches--Tacoma; First Presbyterian Church (Tacoma);

Sumner First Methodist Church. Exterior view of large brick church in Sumner, Washington. Cross design in brick bell tower above triple-door entrance to church. Built in 1923. (T. Times, Special Edition).

First Methodist Church (Sumner); Protestant churches--Sumner;

Christmas decorations at Lakewood Center. Night scene of Little Church on the Prairie.

Little Church on the Prairie (Lakewood); Churches--Lakewood--1930-1940; Christmas decorations;

Christmas decorations on the Little Church on the Prairie are illuminated in this scene from 1939. The church was celebrating its second Christmas season. It had been dedicated in September of 1938. The little woodframe building had previously been a grocery store.

Little Church on the Prairie (Lakewood); Churches--Lakewood--1930-1940; Christmas decorations;

Interior of the main worship area at the dedication of the new Sacred Heart Catholic Church, photograph ordered by the Catholic Northwest Progress. The new church was consecrated in special ceremonies and services on March 19 & 20, 1955. The Most Rev. Thomas A. Connolly, Archbishop of Seattle, consecrated the church's main altar on Saturday, March 19th. He assisted in the blessing and laying of the cornerstone. Following that ceremony, the parishioners entered their new church for services. The new church could seat 700. The Architectural firm of McGuire and Muri designed the building; the builder was Strom Construction. (TNT 3/18/1955, pg. A-5)

Sacred Heart Church (Tacoma); Catholic churches--Tacoma;