Tacoma's Sacred Places, Religious Worship Buildings from 1873 Until

Tacoma’s Sacred Places, Religious Worship Buildings from 1873 until 1965

First Presbyterian, ca. 1926, Tacoma Public Library A1208-0

Reconnaissance Level Survey

Prepared by: For: Office of Historic Preservation

Caroline T. Swope, M.S.H.P., Ph.D. City of Tacoma Kingstree Studios Economic Development Department 2902 North Cedar St. Culture and Tourism Division Tacoma, WA 98407 747 Market Street, Room 1036 Tacoma, WA 98402 Kingstree Studios  2010  Tacoma’s Sacred Places

This Reconnaissance Level Survey of Tacoma’s Sacred Places has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior and administered by the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) and the City of Tacoma Historic Preservation Program. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the Interior or DAHP.

This program received Federal funds from the National Park Service. Regulations of the U.S. Department of Interior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination in departmental Federally Assisted Programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or handicap. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility operated by a recipient of Federal assistance should write to: Director, Equal Opportunity Program, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.

The City of Tacoma’s Office of Historic Preservation publicly solicited proposals for this project on February 23, 2009.

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Table of Contents

Project background 4-9

Survey Management 4 Final Product Documentation 5 Research Objectives 5 Survey Methodology 6 Prior Survey Activity 7 Project Outreach 8

Historical Outline 9-11

Conclusion & Recommendations 12-16

Declining Religious Congregations 12-13 Potential Tools to Help Maintain Historic 13-14 Houses of Worship Wood Churches 14-16

Appendix A: Building Construction 17-27 Ecclesiastical Styles

Gothic Revival 19-20 Neo-Classical & Colonial Revivals 21 Tudor Revival 22 Mission Revival 22 Romanesque & Byzantine Revivals 23 Craftsman 24 Vernacular 25-26 Modern 26-27

Appendix B: Major Architects 28-35

George W. Bullard 29 Frederick Henry Heath 29-30 Lea, Pearson, & Richards 30-31 Lundberg & Mahon 31-32 McGuire & Muri 32 Silas E. Nelsen 33 Robert Billsbrough Price 33-34 Paul Thiry 34-35

Bibliography 36-41

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Project Background

This project focuses on religious worship spaces, and in some cases larger complexes with auxiliary buildings used for religious education, fellowship or pastoral housing throughout the entire city of Tacoma. There are a number of communities and neighborhoods spread thought the city and in many instances these sacred places serve or have served the ethnic groups or social boundaries defined by individual neighborhoods. In some cases, congregations are more representative of a particular religion or ethnic group than a neighborhood.

Survey Management

This project was administered by the City of Tacoma’s Historic Preservation Office. Kingstree Studios is a local cultural resource management firm. Caroline T. Swope, principal of Kingstree Studios, coordinated, supervised, and edited this project. A major component of this project, as defined under section 3 of the response, was community outreach and volunteer support. The consultant worked closely with Historic Tacoma and their Sacred Places Events, which included a public speaking engagement on May 28th, attendance at most of the planning meetings (where 15 of the city’s historic religious congregations met). There were an additional 4 congregations that asked for more detailed information regarding historic registry status, and individualized contact was initiated with these congregations as well. Ms. Swope conducted the field surveys, photographed the buildings, and generated new database inventory forms from the field survey.

While this project was advertised as a reconnaissance survey, volunteer help provided significant research efforts devoted to a full search of the Tacoma Public Library’s records for each church surveyed. This remarkable volunteer effort was led by Historic Tacoma’s summer intern, Kelly Smith, a senior Historic Preservation student at Savannah College of Art and Design. Ms. Smith worked on this project full time through most of the summer. She was assisted by a number of volunteers, ranging from congregational members, Landmark Preservation Commissioners, and community historians.

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Final Product Documentation

The final product, as delivered to the City of Tacoma’s Office of Historic Preservation:

One set, original black and white, single-sided paper copies of the individual Historic Property Inventory Forms, bound

One original paper Summary Report, 2009

One copy of the Historic Tacoma produced “Sacred Spaces” pamphlet

One CD including: the updated Historic Property Database with, Photofile of linked photos Historic Property Inventory.mdb

One CD including: the Summary Report Master digital images

Research Objectives

This project has several objectives:

To find and document every pre-1965 structure built for religious services in the city of Tacoma.

To review previous surveys of Tacoma, that have inventoried these buildings previously.

To provide an outline of Tacoma’s religious architecture, both in terms of styles, architects, and broader development by denomination, neighborhood, or ethnic group, where possible.

To provide recommendations for future study and suggestions for how the City of Tacoma might more effectively help provide resources for stewards of historic congregations, which are not eligible for many of the traditional preservation incentives.

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Survey Methodology

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Tacoma encompasses more than 62 square miles. Fifty of these acres are land, while the remaining portion is in Commencement Bay. The City of Tacoma’s GIS Analysis and Data Services pulled records for every building constructed before 1966 listed with a LU6910 (Religious Services) code. Approximately 187 tax parcels were identified on an excel sheet prepared by the city.

To create a usable map plotting these properties, GIS Analysis and Data Services then made a grid overlay of sixteen squares. The squares (numbered from A1-4, B1-4, C1-4, and D1-4) have varying numbers of properties, for example the D-2 square covered portions of Commencement Bay and the Port of Tacoma, and had no buildings within the survey parameters. Other grids, like C- 2, overlaid a substantial portion of downtown, which had more than three dozen historic religious buildings due to the development age of this sector. The advantage of this system was the ability to clearly break each portion of the city into a unique location with consistent acreage. This prevented sites showing up on multiple maps and made certain that every portion of the city was covered. The disadvantage of this system is that it is not neighborhood based, with some settlement areas divided in half by random grid lines, making it more challenging to see and track development patterns.

Each map grid was tracked individually, with several grids surveyed each week. The majority of the properties were visited between April 22nd and May 29th, 2009. Return trips to some sites were made at later dates to accommodate a need for additional photography or clarification of building locations and details.

Volunteer effort made it possible to confirm GIS data with both the Pierce County Tax Assessor Records and the Tacoma Public Library’s On-Line Building Index. Cross-referencing between the various databases (and period newspaper accounts located through the library’s data base) helped correct dates and in some cases addresses on the original excel sheet. The City of Tacoma’s interest in tracking (when possible) parsonages, religious schools, and other auxiliary buildings common for large religious campuses, led to identifying additional tax parcels for some sites. When an institution has multiple buildings on one site, with one mailing address, these are recorded as one entry in DAHP’s database. If an institution had different mailing addresses for these buildings, each building was given its own entry, per direction from DAHP. This shuffling of buildings, combined with the addition of some sites not listed in the original GIS database has resulted in a final survey number of 150 sites.

Some buildings were removed from the survey after site visits indicated the structures were not originally built for religious use (some were vintage commercial spaces that have since been converted). A total of 13 buildings were removed under these circumstances. In some cases, buildings were added to

6 Kingstree Studios  2010  Tacoma’s Sacred Places the database as field research located structures missed in the original GIS excel sheet. Five notable buildings constructed post-1965, Grace Lutheran (1968), the sanctuary of Temple Beth El (1968), Christ Episcopal (1969), St. Charles Borromeo (1969) and the Salvation Army Church (1969) were included in this survey due to their unique physical presence and/or the significance of their architects. Grace Lutheran, Christ Episcopal and St. Charles are part of larger church complexes with older buildings.

This survey was funded and professionally staffed as a reconnaissance level survey. However, substantial volunteer coordination allowed for a full search of Tacoma Public Library records, the Pierce County Tax Assessor Records, and a search of photographic records at Special Collections, University of Washington, Seattle and the Washington State Historical Society. After site visits were made for each building, volunteers went into the Tacoma Public Library’s Database, and church files (usually newspaper clipping categorized by denomination) and pulled every available newspaper and book reference for each of the 148 properties. This labor-intensive process occurred from May through September, and was extensive enough to keep Historic Tacoma’s, full- time intern, Kelly Smith, at the library almost 30 hours each week. Coordination was also made with Historic Tacoma’s Sacred Places initiative, which launched a call for volunteers. Several members of historic congregations responded and provided additional information on their buildings.

Prior Survey Activity

Since 1979 the City of Tacoma Historic Preservation Office has conducted a number of reconnaissance level surveys. The following neighborhoods have been surveyed, and the majority of them have been entered into the Washington State Historic Property Inventory database.

1. Central Business District (1981, updated 2003) 2. North End (1981) 3. North East (1979) 4. Port Industrial Area (1981, updated 2003) 5. Central area (1981) 6. South Tacoma (1981, updated in 2005 and 2006) 7. South End (1981, updated 1997, 2005 and 2006) 8. West End, Ruston and Point Defiance (1981) 9. East Side (1981) 10. North Slope (2003, overlaps CBD and N End Survey areas) 11. Hilltop (1993, updated 2004, overlaps Central and CBD areas)

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Other areas are currently in the process of being inventoried for potential historic districts.

1. Whitman area, with the South End 2. West Slope Neighborhood 3. Wedge Neighborhood (within Central)

Files for inventoried and registered properties were obtained from the City of Tacoma Historic Preservation Office and reviewed before site visits were undertaken.

Of the almost 150 historic houses of worship in Tacoma, only 9 are currently listed as historic properties on either the city, state, or national register. Those listed are:

St. Peter’s Episcopal (1873) City, State, National St. Luke’s Episcopal (1883/1937) City First Swedish Baptist (1900) City Immanuel Presbyterian (1908) (contributing building in the North Slope Historic District) Center for Spiritual Living (1909) City Holy Rosary Catholic Church (1920) City First Presbyterian (1924) City First Baptist (Urban Grace) (1923) City (added as a result of this survey) Tacoma Buddhist Church (1930) City

Project Outreach

This survey was jointly launched with Historic Tacoma’s Sacred Spaces initiative, which included a public lecture, outreach to historic congregations, and culminated with 15 congregations holding an open-house. The various components of the project were:

May 28, 2009: Tacoma’s Historic Sacred Places: Past, Present, and Future. This free lecture was held at Urban Grace Church (former First Baptist). Speakers included Gerry Eysaman, architect, Pastor Dennis Andersen, board member of Partners for Sacred Spaces, and Caroline Swope of Kingstree Studios.

May-September 2009: Approximately 20 religious congregations were contacted to participate in the October open house of historic sacred places. As a part of this outreach Kingstree Studios attended all planning sessions and reported regularly on both the inventory and the opportunity for historic religious structures to be placed on the Tacoma Register of Historic Places. Interest in register status was expressed by several congregations, but at the time of this report, only two churches have started the process. Urban Grace (former First

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Baptist) completed the process in late 2009, and was placed on the Tacoma Register of Historic Places. Central Lutheran is currently in the process of submitting an application to the Tacoma Register of Historic Places.

October 25, 2009: Open house and tour of 15 historic houses of worship. This event included the following congregations, listed in order of the location map:

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church NW Baptist Seminary Center for Spiritual Living Christ Episcopal Church Immanuel Presbyterian Church Old St. Peter’s Church First Church of Christ Scientist Peace Lutheran Church St. Rita’s Catholic Church Urban Grace Church Holy Rosary Catholic Church St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Temple Beth El Synagogue

November 24, 2009: Listing of Urban Grace (First Baptist) on the Tacoma Register of Historic Places.

Historical Outline

Tacoma’s churches and temples are an amazing architectural assortment, representing a tremendous outpouring of faith, and resources in our city’s neighborhoods. From the petite and vintage St. Peter’s in Old Town, to the sprawling modern St. Charles Borromeo in the West End, Tacoma’s churches have mirrored neighborhood development, worshiping trends, and architectural styles. Many of the larger, established congregations no longer occupy their original sites. Expanding land values and growing congregations led to development away from the downtown business district by 1888. One notable exception to this trend was First Baptist (currently Urban Grace), which felt mission driven to minister to the downtown area from its earliest existence. A significant number of Tacoma’s original churches have been lost, due to growth in the downtown development core, and congregational growth, which necessitated larger meeting space. Often an older, larger church would sell its original building to a new, smaller congregation. The current Apostolic Faith Mission building originally housed a synagogue that was vacated after the 1968 construction of Beth El in West Tacoma. Ethnic and racial movements are also mirrored in church transfers. In 1900 three quarters of all blacks in America lived in the rural south, by 2000 three quarters of blacks lived in urban areas. Many of

9 Kingstree Studios  2010  Tacoma’s Sacred Places these urban churches were purchased from white congregations whose parishioners had fled to the suburbs.1 First Norwegian Lutheran Church (currently Shiloh Baptist Church) and Central Baptist (currently New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ), both located in the Hill Top neighborhood are two examples of this trend.

In 1908 the city had 120 houses of worship, with more than 20,000 members.2 While many of Tacoma’s original ethnic congregations have merged and changed forms over the years, their buildings have retained use by a new generation of congregations in the Hill Top neighborhood. Building designs were often based on national trends and some religious denominations even circulated pattern books with pre-drawn plans for new congregations to choose from. A number of the older congregations grew larger and expanded, following the city’s development into new neighborhoods in North and South Tacoma. By 1912 city newspapers proudly gave tremendous photo coverage to the city’s new churches, including St. Patrick’s, First Congregational, and Sure House (Swedish Mission).3 Each one of these buildings represented a substantial sharing of resources, both material and spiritual in the city’s neighborhoods. The buildings offered not only places for spiritual solstice but, a place for childcare, community meals, space for fairs and outreach organizations, concerts, and social events. As the terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and a major beer producing city, Tacoma had a number of ethnic immigrant groups, including Slovaks, Polish, Germans, and Italians. Many of these groups had their own national churches, where they could worship in their native languages and continue ethnic traditions.

The building boom continued and the newspaper proudly announced that the “City’s Progress (is) Reflected in Church Construction.”4 Photos of new churches under construction continued to dominate the newspapers and new congregations kept pace with the city’s expansion. Sixth Avenue Baptist and Epworth LeSourd Methodist were built in what was then the West End, Bethany Presbyterian and Mason Methodist in the North End, the Greek Orthodox, First Presbyterian and First Lutheran close to the downtown core. A number of our largest and most elaborate churches in the city were built during those years. Tacoma followed national trends, and the majority of these structures were Gothic Revival, with their spires reaching up towards the silver sky. Others reflected strong regional tastes, like the Center for Spiritual Living (Park Universalist Church). And a few were designed to be truly unique in the city, like Immanuel Presbyterian.

1 Kennedy, Roger G. American Churches. Crossroad, New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 1982, pg 275. 2 n.a., n.t. Tacoma Daily Tribune, October 16, 1908, n.p. 3 n.a. “Tacoma A City of Substantial Churches.” Tacoma Daily Ledger, January 9, 1912, pg 4. 4 n.a. “New Churches of City Among Best in Northwest.” Tacoma Daily Ledger, September 21, 1924, pg B-4. 10 Kingstree Studios  2010  Tacoma’s Sacred Places

World War II brought special material and spiritual challenges to religious congregations. Youth groups had fewer men active as troops went off to war. At the same time, troops on leave from local bases needed places for social activities. The rationing of gas and shortage of tires impacted people’s ability to reach their congregations. And yet the religious centers thrived, meeting the challenges head-on.5 And during the post-war years, as neighborhoods expanded to the east, south, and west, new congregations required larger buildings. Many churches also left the downtown core during this time, creating challenges for congregations that remained in their historic locations. Tacoma embraced the promise of Modernism with its clean lines, unadorned surface and expressive shapes. New Jerusalem Church (Central Baptist), First Christian Church, Temple Beth El and St. Charles Borromeo are all reflective of these trends.

Tacoma’s religious buildings represent a substantial investment by the community. It can sometimes be difficult to equate numbers from a hundred years ago to current value, particularly since real estate prices have changed so much. However, if historic prices are calculated with a GDP (Gross Domestic Product) indicator to adjust for inflation and availability of labor and building supplies, the true value and investment becomes clear. The nearly $550,000 that was spent to construct First Presbyterian in 1924, would be worth more than 83 million dollars in today’s currency.6

The promise of the post-war era with new development, growing family sizes, and the supreme reign of the automobile ebbed by the 1990s and many religious institutions felt a squeeze as membership numbers fell. At the national level, some mainline protestant churches have had a 22% decline since 1968.7 At the same time needs for food and clothing banks, preschools, after school daycare and neighborhood meeting spaces continued. Our religious institutions continued to shoulder the needs and at the same time have become more creative in community outreach. Some have formed parishes to share pastors and programming, and others are considering consolidations. Through all these changes, celebrations and tribulations, Tacoma’s sacred places have remained celebrations of the spirit.

5 Macoskey, W. O., “Churches Face Task.” Tacoma News Tribune, May 25, 1997, pg A-1. 6 www.measuringworth.com This website is designed to calculate relative worth overtime. Calculating worth of large public projects entails using the GDP indicator, which compares how important the project was to the community by taking into account material and labor shortages. 7 Maynard, Steve. “Changing Times, Empty Pews.” Tacoma News Tribune, May 25, 1997, pg A- 1. 11 Kingstree Studios  2010  Tacoma’s Sacred Places

Conclusion & Recommendations

Declining Religious Congregations

Like many cities, Tacoma’s current preservation incentives depend on a property being listed on the tax roles. This precludes religious-use structures from receiving any benefits from a historic registry listing. While this may be typical there is no reason why Tacoma can’t be more progressive with its historic plan and find a way to engage religious institutions in their stewardship of historic buildings. Historic places of worship showcase neighborhood development and ethnic minorities. Their varied stories are a rich tapestry that the city would be far poorer without. Keeping these structures maintained and in use is a challenge. There are several reasons for this ranging from decline of formal religious affiliation (and use of religious buildings) in the region, and the emergence of large mega-sized congregations which have moved to the suburbs and away from historic downtown and neighborhood locations. While specific data for Tacoma has not been located, Killen and Silk’s book on religion in the Pacific Northwest indicates that almost 63% of Washington’s population is unaffiliated. This places Washington State second only to Oregon with the lowest percentage of its population affiliated with a religious group. Of the remaining 37%, Catholics make up the single largest group with 11.3%, while historic Protestant denominations are 10.4% of the general population. The remaining percentages are Pentecostal, Mormon, Jewish, Muslim, and other smaller denomination groups. The 63% of the region’s population that claims to be unaffiliated is significantly larger than the percentage at the national level, which is listed as 40.6%.8 While the specific impact of these numbers is difficult to calculate, there are documented reports on how the Catholic Church has addressed downsizing needs at the national level.

The Catholic Church has a highly structured and high profile organization. During the mid-1990s it started to downsize a number of its parishes. This was a national trend to help balance diocesan budgets, which were shrinking due to declining memberships. (This occurred before the sexual molestation charges, which strained budgets even more.) While some parishes were reorganized, others, particularly national churches formed during the 1880s and 1920s when immigration brought hundreds of thousands of practicing Catholics from Southern and Eastern Europe, no longer serve their native populations, and were shuttered. Although this development can be viewed as a trend towards the compression of sacred space as defined by declining ethnic neighborhoods, the loss of ethnic neighborhood churches and their unique traditions and in some cases architectural forms is real.9

8 Killen, Patricia O’Connell and Mark Silk, Editors. Religion and Public Life in the Pacific Northwest: The None Zone. Walnut Creek, California: Altamira Press, 2004. 9 Nelson, Louis P., Editor. American Sanctuary: Understanding Sacred Spaces. Bloomington 12 Kingstree Studios  2010  Tacoma’s Sacred Places

For Tacoma’s historic religious use-structures, many of which are among the oldest public or semi-public buildings in the city, to remain in use in religious use, means that a very small percentage of the population carries the responsibility of maintaining the buildings. Yet the cost for such maintenance can be quite high. If Tacoma follows national trends of declining mainline church membership and increasing mega-church evangelical membership, then the city can expect even more of its historic churches to become vacant. While there are those that quickly point to adaptive reuse, which can indeed save some historic structures, how many neighborhood arts or performing arts centers can Tacoma support? Many of these structures are designed to hold large audiences with substantial public gathering spaces. And most have limited parking at best. In addition, a substantial number of sacred houses of worship accommodate far more than religious uses, and offer their spaces free or at a reduced rate to scouting organizations, Weight Watchers, Alcoholic Anonymous, food banks, and other public service organizations. The loss of these buildings would impact far more than the congregation they directly serve; it impacts community services and the neighborhoods in which they are located.

Potential Tools to Help Maintain Historic Houses of Worship

It is in the city’s best interest to help congregations stay in their historic houses of worship, and the city should be progressive in finding ways to do so. One possible avenue to explore is transfer of development rights via a cash transaction for congregations on the local historic registry. While this avenue might not be currently viable, as Tacoma is under-built with a significant amount of vacant space, this possibility should be seriously considered now, as it would take some time to move this through various avenues of city planning. It would be far better to have such a tool waiting and in place than to have a landmark church torn down at a future date because appropriate economic tools were not in place. This type of program would allow cash-strapped congregations the means necessary to acquire large cash infusions to help pay for long term maintenance costs.

Another way to help keep historic houses of worship in use is to develop a closer relationship with young congregations that are looking for existing buildings to hold services in. The partnership approach is fairly common in the ecclesiastical world. First United Methodist shared First Congregational’s space shortly after the demolition of the historic Methodist church. A new evangelical

and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 2006, pg 133. St. Rita and St. Joseph Slovak are no longer national churches, and there is concern by St. Joseph parishioners that their church may be closed. St. Peter and Paul still serves as a national church for those of Polish heritage, but holds this title only because of increased Polish immigration during the 1990s. How much longer the church will serve the Polish community is unknown. 13 Kingstree Studios  2010  Tacoma’s Sacred Places church is currently sharing space with Central Lutheran. This partnership approach helps historic congregations, which often are significantly smaller in membership numbers than their original size, maintain large aging structures with an infusion of cash. While the city would not necessarily be the party to maintain such a database of congregations looking for space with congregations seeking space, the city might be instrumental in helping a larger ecumenical organization organize and maintain such a database.

A third possibility is a low interest or no interest loan program similar to those offered by some Main Street programs. A number of state Main Street programs have organized loan pools with assistance from local banks that offer low or no interest loans. Building owners that participate in these programs are usually required to meet certain minimum expectations which vary from program to program, but typically include the building’s listing on a historic registry and following the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. In some cases the pool of available funds is capped and suspended when all monies are lent until the coffers are refilled by payments. In some municipalities the amount of the loan is capped, and the availability for a new building to acquire financing is not hampered by the success of the program. There are several ways to structure such a program. A similar program could help local congregations pay for expensive building maintenance projects, including roof repairs, exterior painting, or HVAC upgrades.

wood churches

A number of Tacoma’s smaller historic churches are wood sided. Many of these churches either served neighborhood congregations or acted as incubator structures, providing space for various congregations to grow and expand before moving into larger custom designed spaces. Some of these structures hold new congregations, others are no longer used for religious purposes. Many are showing signs of neglect, in part because they are owned by small congregations that may not have funds to adequately care for the structures. It is also plausible that the current ownership does not realize the historic value of the buildings that they occupy, since prior congregations may have removed original blue-prints and correspondence while vacating the property. In some cases the structures may no longer serve for a religious purpose.

While some of these historic properties show deferred maintenance, others have been “updated” with new vinyl windows, vinyl siding, or completely remodeled to the point where historic integrity has been lost. Perhaps the most poignant example of this is Shiloh Baptist Church (former First Norwegian Baptist Church) located at 1211 South I Street. While bits of the structure’s original massing are still identifiable, the original wooden structure has been completely obliterated by contemporary stucco veneer. The architectural integrity of what was probably Tacoma’s most impressive wooden church is now gone.

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First Norwegian ca. 1931 with original First Norwegian (Shiloh Baptist) in siding (Tacoma Public Library 2009, exterior wood siding now Chapin Bowen Collection, TPL-6794) covered with stucco (Kingstree Studios)

Although current integrity in many cases may preclude these structures from entry on a historical registry, a sympathetic remodeling to remove non- historic siding, or other added features could restore sufficient integrity to these buildings. Any outreach program that encourages stewardship of historic religious spaces should include these structures and the congregations that maintain them. The list below represents the most architecturally significant wooden churches located that are not currently eligible for registry listing, in many cases due to vinyl siding or similar remodels. A plan should be developed to help educate stewards of these structures, and if the buildings pass out of religious use great efforts should be made to help new property owners understand the value of registry listing for income producing structures.

Historic Wood Churches with Registry Potential:

God’s Pentecostal (?) 2501 Tacoma Avenue South Evangelistic Center (1902) 1423 Martin Luther King Junior Way New Heart (1908) 759 South 45th Street Vietnamese Baptist Church (1909) 6046 South Warner Street

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Good Samaritan Church (1912) 8421 South G Street Marantha Church of God (1917) 4902 McKinley Avenue Mt. Tabor Baptist Church (1920) 2302 South Alaska Street Victory Outreach (1920) 2150 South Cushman Avenue Central Church of Christ (1921) 1402 South L Street

Evangelistic Center (Kingstree Studios)

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APPENDIX A

Building Construction & Ecclesiastical Styles

St. Paul Evangelical Church (Kingstree Studios)

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One of the most basic influences on construction is availability of materials, which is why most of Tacoma’s earliest churches were wood. This material is also more easily workable for novices than masonry construction. However, by the time congregations were constructing second, or even third buildings, masonry construction was preferred, if the coffers allowed. The earliest and smallest ecclesiastical buildings have simple designs, usually gable fronted with a corner or central steepled tower, and centered front door. Many of these structures are either purely vernacular, or have only the most minimal of stylistic detailing. Later religious buildings, particularly those where architects were hired, showcase a variety of styles, each designed to advertise the sacred space within.

Sacred space serves a propagandistic function, advertising the self-image of the congregation to outsiders, and confirming religious identity to insiders through sacred symbols and forms. The buildings literally need to somehow indicate the break between the profane of everyday life and the divineness of sacred territory.

Religious buildings have traditionally followed a number of architectural styles. Stylistic choice can be influenced by a number of factors, including contemporary trends, architectural training, and even pattern books produced by denominational headquarters. Style can be very significant for a religious congregation, either through mimicking buildings from their home countries, signifying a particular religious philosophy or theological stance, or even indicating that a congregation was moneyed, culturally astute, and had the ability to easily keep pace with contemporary trends. These labels can make value statements. Many of the revival styles have moral values associated with them. Gothic is often interpreted as traditional, northern European, and Christian centered, while Classical forms hearken back to stable, yet republican or democratic forms. Colonial Revival often reflects early American values of independence, Protestantism, and following set traditions.

Denominational preferences for particular styles are often in evidence - Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, and Methodist churches frequently used a traditional Gothic Revival style for their larger congregations. This style had close ties to formal European precedents, and was considered appropriate for congregations that were relatively conservative in their ecclesiastical philosophy. Unitarian churches, with their relatively liberal religious philosophy are more likely to embrace contemporary forms. While these broad generalizations certainly have exceptions, they have been identified at the national level. However, denominational differences are not always clearly visible. Usually interior décor more clearly announces the denominational beliefs - statuary for Catholics, symbolism for the Episcopal, Menorah for Jews, and rather austere interiors for Baptist and some of the other protestant faiths.

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Between 1880 and 1940 American architecture utilized a wide variety of historical styles. Trained architects had extensive schooling in historical styles and used them freely. Stylistic details also closely correlate to the size of the congregation, construction budget, and ability to hire a professional architect. The larger and more established a congregation was, the more likely their building would fit into a categorized high-style. A number of churches are vernacular, with no dominant architectural style. These structures often use basic ecclesiastical forms, the front-facing gabled roof (vaguely Greco-Roman temple front in its design), a central tower, and rounded or pointed arched windows. Some occasionally mixed Gothic, Craftsman, and Romanesque detailing on this basic massing. Others are more simple. These structures, which could easily be termed Ecclesiastical Eclectic dominate the neighborhood churches and were often constructed of wood. They represent one of the most common building forms in the city, and are often overlooked due to their size, later remodeling, or in some cases abandonment. Tacoma has many ecclesiastical buildings representing major architectural styles, and designed by a number of well-known local architects. Descriptions of the most commonly represented styles in Tacoma and two of the most prolific architects who designed ecclesiastical buildings follow.

Gothic Revival

Gothic Revival is one of a number of historical revival styles that became popular in the 19th century, both abroad and in the United States. It was a common style for church construction in Tacoma until the end of the 1920s. The original Gothic style developed in the late 1100s in the region surrounding Paris, France. The style, while used for a number of building types, became associated with ecclesiastical architecture, in part due to the numerous new cathedrals built during this time, and soon spread to other countries. The style, which emphasized vertical massing, masonry construction, heavily sculpted façades, and prominent use of stained glass (in ecclesiastical forms), eventually lost favor to the newly emerging Italian Renaissance style by 1500.

Interest in Gothic forms revived during the late 18th century, and continued through the late 19th century. There are a number of reasons for the style’s revival. In an era of nation building, many European countries were searching for an architectural style they could claim as their own, a native style not Roman or Italian influenced. The newly formed nation of Germany, and the much older countries of France, and England all claimed Gothic as a native architectural style. Additionally, there was a substantial aesthetic movement in Britain, started by the Pre-Raphaelites, which longed to return to the simpler and more religious lives believed to have been typical during the Gothic era. This group of artists and designers focused on the rich colors, heavily patterned forms, and abundant detail found in earlier art. Architectural critics and designers associated with the movement were uncomfortable with Neo-Classicism’s pagan origins and also rejected the mechanization and standardization of contemporary society. Gothic

19 Kingstree Studios  2010  Tacoma’s Sacred Places forms were praised for their focus on nature, the guild societies which traditionally created them, and the relationship between the workers and God. In the early 19th century Gothic Revival began to transform with grander, more detailed examples, and was increasingly used for collegiate and ecclesiastical construction. This was due in part to the significance some placed on Gothic architecture as a perfect melding between religious and creative values.

In Tacoma the Gothic style is most prevalent with larger, older congregations. Many of these churches are built from stone, and replace earlier wooden framed churches. Some of the best articulated examples include:

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church (Old St. Peters), 1873 St. Luke’s Memorial Episcopal Church, 1883 St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 1906 First Congregational Church, 1907 St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 1911 Church of the Visitation, 1913 Trinity Methodist Church (Kalevaria United Methodist Church), 1915 Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 1920 Trinity Presbyterian, 1922 First Baptist (Urban Grace), 1923 Bethany United Methodist, 1925 Sixth Avenue Baptist Church, 1925 Epworth-LeSourd United Methodist Church, 1926 First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1926

St. Patrick’s Catholic Church epitomizes Gothic Revival construction with its Rose window, engaged buttresses, Gothic-arched doorways and lancet windows. (Kingstree Studios)

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Neo-Classical and Colonial Revivals

Greek Revival (a subset of the Neo-Classical style) was one of the first national styles in the United States, and was common on the east coast from 1818 until right before the Civil War. The form was used for both churches and synagogues. Neo-Classical and Colonial revivals both focused on Greco-Roman design elements. Classical columns, decorative entablatures, triangular pediments and Palladian windows are some of the most typical design elements for these related styles. One of the style’s theological disadvantages was its association with pagan religions. Classical Revival and the Beaux-Arts style were commonly used by Christian Science congregations.

Tacoma has very few examples of these styles, some of the best articulated ones are:

Swedish Mission Tabernacle (Sure House Open Church), 1909 First Church of Christ, Scientist, 1911 C.C. Mellinger Funeral Chapel (Pierce County Alliance), 1945 Church of Latter Day Saints, Tacoma Ward, 1948

First Church of Christ, Scientist showcases classical symmetry, Greek temple pediments, Ionic columns, acroterions (ornamentation on roof edges), a Greek fretwork bias-relief. (Kingstree Studios)

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Tudor Revival

Tudor Revival was in many cases an off-shoot of the popular Gothic Revival for ecclesiastical buildings. It is characterized by steeply pitched rooflines and often has half-timbering. Other common elements are the Tudor arch (a squashed arch with a slight peak) and crenellations. Tacoma had few examples of this style, and the best, the first Mason Methodist Church, no longer stands. The only example of this style is Trinity United Methodist (Kalevaria United Methodist) 1915, which showcases the steeply pitched (and in this case double ridged) roof, half-timbering, and crenellations. This example has some traces of Gothic Revival as well.

Mission Revival

The Mission Revival style was particularly popular in California and the Southwest, where it harkened back to days of Spanish rule. Use of stucco and an undulating parapet are the two major features of this style. Immanuel Presbyterian, 1908, is Tacoma’s only example of Mission Revival ecclesiastical architecture.

Immanuel Presbyterian showcases Mission Revival features including stucco, a Mission-styled parapet and a compact bell tower. (Kingstree Studios)

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Romanesque & Byzantine Revivals

Romanesque Revival was based on some of the earliest forms of Christian architecture, which predated Gothic. It can take a number of forms from simple to complex. Common design elements are a basilica plan, either one single tower to the side or no towers, masonry construction, rounded arches (frequently paired), and a single rose window. Occasionally this style transitions in to the Byzantine Revival, which showcases more color, and specific and elaborate sculptural imagery. The style prospered from the 1840s until the turn of the century and was most common in urban areas with architect-designed buildings. Greek Orthodox congregations often build Byzantine styled structures. Typical design elements are narrow round arched windows (sometimes with stone screens) and multiple domed lanterns. First Presbyterian, 1924, is a superb example of the Romanesque Revival style, with some added Byzantine design elements.

First Presbyterian showcases Romanesque Rose windows, coupled round arched windows, Byzantine column capitols, and polychrome decorations. (Kingstree Studios)

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Craftsman

The Craftsman style isn’t a revival, but an early 20th century form which focused on horizontal buildings, broad roof brackets and verge boards, exposed rafter details and (in the Pacific Northwest) the use of wood shingles. The style was a reaction against the eclectic and overly ornate Victorian forms of the previous century and had strong associations with social reform. The best example of this style is the Park Universalist Church (Center for Spiritual Living), 1909. Manitou Park Presbyterian, 1929, is a basic vernacular formed building with Craftsman detailing evident in the knee brackets supporting the roof.

The Center for Spiritual Living showcases Craftsman details of deep, wide eaves, multi- surfaced exterior walls, knee brackets, wide verge boards, and exposed rafter tails. (Kingstree Studios)

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Vernacular

The term vernacular is a Latin derivative meaning “native, indigenous.” It is often used to describe speech patterns and dialects, but architectural historians use it to describe common building forms, or folk architecture as well. Many vernacular buildings are those built by pattern books that were passed from builder to builder. These structures, often feature simple forms. Some may have distinct architectural styles, but are still considered “folk” architecture. There is no real time period for the vernacular style. It is among the earliest architectural forms, predates architects, and is still being constructed today. Many vernacular buildings have heavy influence from the congregation that built them. Some denominations had stock pattern books that congregations were able to view and purchase plans from. In Tacoma, the majority of vernacular churches were constructed from wood, and many have since been sided with aluminum or vinyl. A number of them may have even had their original windows replaced. This can make them more difficult to spot, but nonetheless, their presence in the individual neighborhoods that define Tacoma is unmistakable.

Some vernacular buildings combine folk traditions with common architectural styles. European and Asian immigrants during the late 19th and early 20th centuries tried to maintain cultural identity through their traditional architectural forms. St. Rita of Cascia is an example of this, where memories of Mediterranean architecture were mixed with common building forms in the United States. The Tacoma Buddhist Church also defies typical building styles, yet has elements of native Japanese culture visible in its upturned tile roof.

Other forms of vernacular style, particularly for churches, are very simple wooden structures, with few design details to indicate style. Buildings that showcase this were often small neighborhood structures, and when used by churches often followed a base-level plan; small rectangular plan, steeply pitched front gable, slender bell tower with a steeple either centered or to one side of the entrance. The windows might have lancet arches, reminiscent of the Gothic style, but sometimes windows were simple rectangular units, common stock for builders at that time. Peace Lutheran, while it has a few faint Craftsman influences with its knee brackets under the front eaves, has an unusual and likely custom steeple combined with simple stained glass windows. The combination of these features makes this building a vernacular, or “folk” structure. Tacoma had a number of fabulous wooden vernacular churches, although many have been altered and are not currently register eligible. The majority of the city’s best preserved vernacular buildings are masonry construction, although wood was a more common building material for these buildings. Some of Tacoma’s best- preserved examples of vernacular include:

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Japanese Methodist Episcopal Church, 1901 St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 1905 Arlington Park Methodist-Episcopal Church (Root of David), 1910 St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1910 St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, 1923 St. Rita of Cascia Catholic Church, 1924 Western Washington Baptist Church (Evangelical City Church), 1928 Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church (Tacoma First Korean Lutheran), 1929 Tacoma Hongwanji Buddhist Church, 1930 Allan African-Methodist Episcopal Church (vacant), n/a

Modern

The post-World War II era brought a tension in church design between traditionalists who favored past historical styles, and the stability they implied, and modernists who wanted buildings that mirrored contemporary aesthetics and needs. There were a number of points where modern congregational designers were often called upon to avoid traditional design, including extravagance, revival styles, ornamentation, and a slavish following of ecclesiastical forms. Modern churches also mirror shifts in religious thought. Past worship spaces, particularly for many Christian denominations, focused on dogma or religious rights with the building serving as a place of mystery. Contemporary ecclesiastical spaces focused more on community, shared religious experiences and the building as a place where the religious word is dispersed. While there are some denominational differences (Catholics, Anglicans, and Episcopal are still more conservative in this respect) most mainstream Christian religions have shifted their practices, and thus interior space divisions accordingly.

Many architects in Tacoma focused on the International Style, which tried to break with the past by rejecting all historical ornament, and often historical forms as well. The International Style was named after an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in 1931. This exhibit showcased works by well-known European architects Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, and Walter Gropius. The style was praised for its ability to move beyond slavishly copying previous architectural forms, and instead “emulating the great styles of the past in their essence without imitating their surface.” The design details that increasingly surfaced with this style were flat roofs and glass or brick walls without ornament. The style though, was not always popular with congregations. Many considered it cold and machinelike, and the lack of ornamentation didn’t allow for religious symbolism that had so traditionally been used for houses of worship.

Another modern style that architects favored was Formalist. This style was favored by congregations that felt it better addressed the emotional and spiritual expression of religion than the International Style. Leaders of the Formalist movement were Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier in his later work.

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Curving and sweeping forms, abstracted symbols and sometimes a nod to more traditional religious building designs are hallmarks of this style.

One of the most uncommon modern styles for religious buildings is Brutalism. Brutalism is named after the aggressive and roughly finished forms utilized with its primary material, concrete (called beton brut in French). This short-lived style (1950-1970) typically features repetitive angles, and showcases the texture of wooden concrete forms. While Brutalist buildings often appear overwhelming and dictatorial from the outside, many have visually striking contrasts of wood verses concrete and personal verses public space on the inside. The use of light and additional furnishings becomes paramount for the Brutalist form to work well in an ecclesiastical setting.

Excellent examples of Modern religious buildings include:

Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 1948 Central Baptist (New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ), 1950 Asbury United Methodist Church, 1953 Zion Lutheran Church, 1954 Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1955 Central Lutheran Church, 1957 St. Anne’s Catholic Church, 1957 Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1960 First Christian Church, 1961 Grace Lutheran Church, 1968 Temple Beth El, 1968 Christ Episcopal Church, 1969 St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 1969 Salvation Army Church, 1969

Central Lutheran showcases clean geometric forms and minimal decoration common in modern styles. (Kingstree Studios)

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APPENDIX B

Major Architects

Robert Billsbrough Price, architect of Temple Beth El (docomomowewa website)

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George W. Bullard

Born in 1855, George W. Bullard, was a Springfield, Illinois native who received a degree in architecture from the University of Illinois in 1882. Bullard moved to Tacoma in 1890 and lived here until his death in 1935. He specialized in schoolhouses, churches and public buildings. Bullard was an active member of the First Methodist Church and the Washington State Historical Society.

One of his more publicized works was the second place design for the Washington State Pavilion at the 1893 Columbian World’s Fair. Bullard formed a number of partnerships; one of the better known was the 1911 firm of Bullard & Hill, with offices in the Provident Building.

Notable works: Bryant (1890, demolished), First Methodist Episcopal Church (1892, demolished), Grant School (1900), Provident Building (1903), First Christian Church (1907, demolished), First Congregational Church (1907), YMCA (1909), Washington State Historical Society (1911), Stanley (1925), Epworth- LeSourd Methodist (1926), Maddux-Raymond Funeral Home (1927), Japanese Methodist Church (1929), Tacoma Hongwanji Buddhist Church (1930).

Bullard Designed Churches:

First Congregational Church 209 South J 1907 Epworth-LeSourd Methodist Church 710 South Anderson 1926 Japanese Methodist Church 1901 Fawcett Avenue 1929 Tacoma Hongwanji Buddhist Church 1717 Fawcett Avenue 1930

Frederick Henry Heath

Frederick Heath was responsible for a number of significant buildings in Tacoma at the start of the twentieth century, completing more than 600 projects. His design work was far reaching and varied from private residences, commercial buildings, and fraternal lodges, to churches, hospitals and school buildings. Heath designed in a number of different styles ranging from Gothic Revival to Neo-Classical to simpler structures with few defining architectural details.

Frederick Henry Heath was born April 15, 1861, in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. As a child his family moved to Caledonia, Minnesota. After high school Heath moved to Minneapolis and worked for a newspaper. Unhappy with his choice of professions, Heath decided to work in the construction industry instead. He eventually secured a position with Warren H. Hayes, a local architect. Heath spent twelve years in Hayes’ employment, ten of which he served as chief draftsman. Heath moved to Tacoma in the late 1800s, searching for a climate more suitable for his wife’s health. By 1896 he opened his own architectural

29 Kingstree Studios  2010  Tacoma’s Sacred Places office and in 1901 he became principal in the firm of Spaulding, Russell & Heath. After the departure of Spaulding in 1901, the firm became Russell & Heath, but by 1903 Heath had decided to work on his own again. During this time Heath was appointed as architect for the Tacoma School District. While Heath worked individually for most of his later career, he did form the short-lived firm of Heath & Twichell from 1908 to 1910. Lither Twichell was a former colleague who had worked with Heath under Warren Hayes in Minneapolis. Heath formed partnerships with George Gove from 1902 until the 1920s. Heath & Gove hired Tacoma native Herbert Bell to work with them, creating the firm of Heath, Gove & Bell in the mid-1920s. Heath continued to work until the time of his death in 1953, at the age of 91 years.

Heath Designed Churches:

St. Patrick’s Catholic Church 1123 North J Street 1906 Swedish Mission Tabernacle 922-24 South I Street 1909 First Church of Christ, Scientist 902 Division Avenue 1911 Trinity Methodist Church 601 East 35th Street 1915 Bethany Presbyterian Church 4420 North 41st Street 1924 First Baptist Church 902 Market Street 1925 Sixth Avenue Baptist Church 2520 Sixth Avenue 1925 First Evangelical Lutheran Church 524 South I Street 1926

Lea, Pearson & Richards

Charles T. Pearson was a native of Chicago who moved to Tacoma as a child in 1919. He attended Stadium High and earned a degree in architecture from the University of Washington in 1931. Pearson worked for Heath, Gove and Bell in the early portion of his career. Pearson was made an AIA fellow in 1973, and retired from architecture in 1984. He was a member of Holy Cross Catholic Church.

John Greenway Richards was the founder of one of oldest architectural firms in state. From Waltham, Massachusetts originally, Richards moved to Tacoma as a child in 1920. He graduated from Stadium High School and then attended the University of Washington, earning his architectural license in 1932. Like Pearson, Richards then became an associate of Heath, Gove & Bell.

Charles Winthrop Lea, Jr. was born in Tacoma in 1903, but grew up in Seattle. He received his education at the University of Washington, University of Pennsylvania, and New York University. He worked as a draftsman in various architecture firms in Philadelphia and for the New York firm of Delano & Aldrich before returning to Tacoma in the early 1930s. Lea was known for his residential projects and was praised by his peers for his special talent with Colonial details.

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In 1937, Lea formed a partnership with Pearson and Richards that lasted until 1984. The firm specialized in banks, churches and high-end residences.

Notable works: National Bank of Washington, Chehalis (1949), the National Bank of Washington, Parkland (1950), Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (1956), Central Lutheran Church (1957), Trinity Lutheran Church, Parkland (1958), the Swasey Branch of the Tacoma Public Library (1960), Kilworth Chapel at the University of Puget Sound (1966), the Bank of Washington Plaza, in cooperation with Skidmore Owings Merrill(1970), United Mutual Savings Bank (1973).

Lea, Pearson & Richards Designed Churches:

Central Lutheran Church 409 Tacoma Avenue North 1957

Lundberg & Mahon

Born in 1882, Charles Frederick W. Lundberg practiced architecture in Tacoma from 1908 until 1941 when he retired. He was a junior partner in the firm of Potter and Lundberg in 1908, with Myron Potter serving as senior partner. This partnership lasted for only a year or two. He then practiced on his own and in 1913 entered into a partnership with architect C. Frank Mahon.

Born in 1888, Mahon was the grandson of a Pierce County pioneer. Details regarding his training and apprenticeship are sparse. Mahon began his architectural training as a draftsman for I. Jay Knapp in Tacoma in 1908. By 1910, he and Knapp were partners in the firm of Knapp & Mahon. In 1912, Mahon began his own architectural practice. He was a member of the American Engineers Society and the National Architects Society. He also served as president of the Tacoma Architect’s Society in 1914. Both Lundberg and Mahon became registered professional architects under the State of Washington's "grandfather" registration law in 1919. Their firm was unique because it offered architectural design and engineering services. Many of the firm's important commissions were associated with the Catholic Church. Mahon was a member of Holy Rosary, a church he designed.

Lundberg and Mahon dissolved their partnership in 1923. In 1926, Lundberg partnered with A. Frederick Ekvall. Mahon and Lundberg reunited in 1929 and then formed a partnership with Ekvall becoming Lundberg, Mahon, & Ekvall, with offices in Tacoma and Seattle. The firm dissolved in 1941 when Lundberg retired. Mahon died in Tacoma in 1947 at the age of 59. Lundberg died in 1964 at the age of 82.

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Notable works: St. Joseph’s Slovak Catholic (1912), Washington Theatre (1913), Lynn Funeral Home (1918), Orpheum Theatre (1919), Realart Theater (1919), St. Patrick’s School (1919, demolished), Holy Rosary Catholic (1920), Sacred Heart Catholic School (1924), Visitation Catholic Church and School (1912), Holy Rosary Catholic, Seattle (1937).

Lundberg & Mahon Designed Churches:

Visitation Catholic Church 3318 South 58th Street 1912 St. Joseph’s Slovak Catholic Church 602 South 34th Street 1912 Holy Rosary Catholic Church 520 South 30th Street 1920

McGuire & Muri

John E. McGuire was born in Methuen, Massachusetts in 1892 and received a B.A. in architecture from the University of Oregon in 1917. He worked as a head designer for the Tacoma firm of Sutton, Whitney & Dugan from 1920- 1929, assistant designer and draftsman for Seattle architect John Graham from 1929-1932 and as office manager and head designer for Olympia architect Joseph Wohleb from 1937-1940. McGuire was a well known architect who served as president of the regional AIA chapter during the early 1960s. He organized the firm of McGuire and Muri in 1946.

Irvin E. Muri moved to Tacoma as a child and graduated from Stadium High School before studying architecture at the University of Oregon and later at the University of Washington. He joined the firm of Russell and Lance in 1935. It is unknown whether he joined McGuire next or worked with other architects between 1935 and 1946. McGuire & Muri designed a number of church and school buildings in Tacoma. McGuire was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, which may have contributed to the firm winning commissions to build Sacred Heart and St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Churches.

Notable works: Lowell Elementary (1950), Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church (1954), Sacred Heart Catholic Church (1955), St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church (1958, auxiliary buildings only, church was designed in 1968 by the firm of Nelsen, Krona and Ziegler), and Birney Elementary (1962)

McGuire & Muri Designed Churches:

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church 601 S. Puget Sound Ave. 1954 Sacred Heart Catholic Church 4510 McKinley Avenue 1955 St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church (partial) 7112 South 12th Street 1958

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Silas E. Nelsen

Silas E. Nelsen, a native of Wisconsin, moved to Washington State in 1900 with his parents. He started his career as a naval architect but eventually moved into residential and civic architecture. He moved to the Puget Sound as an adult and worked with the architectural firm Heath, Grove, & Bell for four years. He started his own practice and designed more than 150 homes, 15 churches, and numerous buildings at the University of Puget Sound. His own Colonial Revival house at 405 South Sheridan Avenue was selected as one of the ten most beautiful homes in Tacoma by the Tacoma Society of Architects in 1931. Nelsen’s designs caught the attention of “Better Homes & Gardens,” which showcased a number of his petite Colonial designs in both 1936 and 1937. The periodical also named him one of eight leading residential architects in America.

In 1961 Nelsen merged with the firm of Krona, Wilson & Ziegler to become Nelsen, Krona, Wilson, & Ziegler. In 1964 the firm changed names to Nelsen, Krona, & Ziegler. Nelsen retired around 1971 and the firm became Krona, Ziegler & Associates.

Notable works: In addition to his residential work, Nelsen worked on a number of civic, commercial and religious commissions. He designed the original main branch addition of the Tacoma Public Library, Anna Lemon Wheelock Library (1927), Tacoma Mountaineers Building (1956), Johnson Candy Company (1949), Mueller-Harkins Motor Company (1948), and several fraternity houses at the University of Puget Sound.

Silas Nelsen Designed Churches:

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church 1523 Yakima Ave. South 1925 Bethesda Baptist Church 4340 South L Street 1926 Pentecostal Tabernacle (1st Assembly of God) 1121 South Altheimer St. 1926 Central Baptist Church 1623 South 11th Street 1950 First Evangelical United Brethren Church 4501 Sixth Avenue 1950 Central Seventh Day Adventist Church 615 North Sprague Ave. 1952 Skyline Christian Church 626 North Skyline Drive 1954 Calvary Baptist Church 6511 South C Street 1957 First Christian Church 602 North Orchard Street 1961 St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church 7712 South 12th Street 1969

Robert Billsbrough Price

A Tacoma native, Robert Billsbrough Price attended Stadium High School before beginning his architectural training at the University of Washington. His education was interrupted by World War II and after serving in the United States

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Navy he returned to the University of Washington and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture in 1946. He then earned a Masters of Architecture degree from MIT in 1948. He returned to Tacoma and worked with architect James C. Gardiner before opening his own practice in 1949. In 1956, the firm was featured in Progressive Architecture magazine - the youngest firm at that time featured in the magazine. Price was one of the most prolific architects in the Tacoma region from the 1950s until the 1970s.

Price won fifty-nine national, regional and local awards for design excellence. His ability to keep project costs manageable while designing flexible building types that could easily accept the additions so common in post-WWII era construction are hallmarks of his work. He was one of six architects selected nationally to work with the American Plywood Association and was recognized for his innovate use of engineered wood. This collaboration culminated with the award winning design of Hoyt Elementary School (1958). The Tacoma Fire Station Number 17 (1955) and his own architectural office (1963) also won awards. He earned a certificate of Merit from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for the architectural design of two Tacoma housing authority projects in 1967. Other projects were featured in a variety of magazines including Sunset, House and Garden, and Architectural Record. He designed a variety of building types, but specialized in educational projects. In 1966, became the first architect in Tacoma to be honored by induction into the AIA College of Fellows.

Notable works: Baker Middle School (1954), Curtis Junior High School in University Place (1957); Hunt Middle School (1957), Hoyt Elementary School (1958), Mount Tahoma High School (1961); Sherman Elementary School (1954); Aberdeen Senior High School (c 1960); Puyallup Jr. High School (c. 1959); Temple Beth El (1968), Olson Physical Education Building at Pacific Lutheran University (1969).

Price Designed Religious Buildings:

Temple Beth El 5975 S. 12th Street 1968

Paul Thiry

Seattle architect Paul Albert Thiry introduced European Modernism to Seattle and the Northwest. Born in Nome, Alaska in 1904, Thiry graduated with a degree in architecture from the University of Washington in 1928. Shortly after graduation Thiry worked in the offices of Butler Sturtevant, John Graham and Henry Bittman before opening his own practice in 1929. At the beginning of his career Thiry focused on residential work. In the early 1930s he took a yearlong trip to Europe, Japan, India, China, Egypt, and Central America. During this trip,

34 Kingstree Studios  2010  Tacoma’s Sacred Places he was exposed to the work of European Modernists, and met internationally acclaimed modernist Le Corbusier.

Thiry partnered with a number of architects to produce large-scale planning, housing and military projects during WWII. After the war, Thiry focused on civic, institutional, and religious buildings. He was elected as an AIA fellow in 1951 and served as president of the Washington State AIA chapter in 1954. Thiry was also a member of the Executive Committee of the Puget Sound Regional Planning Council from 1954 to 1957, and the City of Seattle’s Planning Commission from 1952 to 1961. In addition to his architectural designs and planning service, He authored Churches and Temples with R. Bennet and H. Kamphoefe in 1953, a major work addressing modern religious architecture.

In 1958 Thiry was appointed as the primary planner and architect for the Seattle World’s Fair. The Century 21 Exposition Grounds/Seattle Center showcases his ideals of city planning and architectural design. He designed the First National Bank Pavilion, the State of Washington Theme Building, the Nalley Theater and Exhibition Building, and the Seattle Center Coliseum.

Thiry was honored as “Man of the Year” in 1962 by the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and the City Council. Likewise, he was elected to the AIA’s College of Fellows that same year. He was appointed to the National Capitol Planning Commission by President Kennedy in 1963, and to the Kennedy Library Commission by Jacqueline Kennedy in 1964. Thiry died in 1993 at the age of 89.

Notable works: Museum of History and Industry, Seattle (1950), Church of Christ the King, Seattle (1952), North East Branch Library, Seattle (1954) in Seattle (which received a Seattle AIA honor award in 1955), Covenant Chapel, Seattle (1956), the Washington State Library, Olympia (1959), the U.S. Embassy Residence in Santiago, Chile (1961), Mercer Island Presbyterian Church (1961), St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, Seattle (1962), Watzek Library, Lewis and Clark College, Portland (1968), Christ Episcopal Church, Tacoma (1969), Agnes Flanagan Chapel at Lewis and Clark College, Portland (1972).

Thiry Designed Churches:

Christ Episcopal Church North J Street 1969

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Bibliography

(Individual congregational bibliographies are listed on the survey forms)

American Missionary Baptist Society. The Baptist Home Mission Monthly. Volume 3, May 1881.

----. American Missionary Baptist Society. The Baptist Home Mission Monthly. Volume 14, March 1892.

Augustana Lutheran Church. This is My Church. Clinton, Wisconsin: Augustana Book Concern, 1960.

Bartlett, Benjamin J. First Annual Catalogue of School-House and Church Architecture. Chicago: Knight & Leonard, 1875.

Christ-Janer, Albert and Mary Mix Foley. Modern Church Architecture. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1962.

Diocese of Olympia. More Than 100 Years of Ministry: The Episcopal Church in Western Washington, n.p., 1998.

Eysaman + Company. “Self-Guided Walking Tour of Tacoma’s Churches.” City of Tacoma Office of Historic Preservation, 1997.

Hammon, Peter, Editor. Towards a Church Architecture. London: The Architectural Press, 1962.

Hayes, Bartlett. Tradition Becomes Innovation: Modern Religious Architecture in America. New York: The Pilgrim Press, 1983.

Heathcote, Edwin and Laura Moffatt. Contemporary Church Architecture. London: Wiley-Academy, 2007.

Hopkins, John Henry. Essay on Gothic Architecture. Burlington, Vermont: Smith & Harrington, 1836.

Howe, Jeffrey. Houses of Worship. San Diego: Thunder Bay Press, 2003.

Kennedy, Roger G. American Churches. Crossroad, New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 1982.

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Kieckhefer, Richard. Theology in Stone. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.

Killen, Patricia O’Connell and Mark Silk, Editors. Religion and Public Life in the Pacific Northwest: The None Zone. Walnut Creek, California: Altamira Press, 2004.

Kramer, George W. The Twentieth Century Church. n.p., 1910.

Lynn, Edwin Charles. Tired Dragons: Adapting Church Architecture to Changing Needs. Boston: Beacon Press, 1972.

Macoskey, W. O., “Churches Face Task.” Tacoma News Tribune, April 21, 1942, n.p.

Maynard, Steve. “Changing Times, Empty Pews.” Tacoma News Tribune, May 25, 1997, pg A-1.

-----. “A church is reborn.” Tacoma News Tribune, November 26, 2000, pg A-1.

-----. “Development threatens Tacoma’s grand old churches.” Tacoma News Tribune, April 16, 2006 pg A-1.

Mills, Edward D. The Modern Church. New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1959. n.a., n.t. Tacoma Daily Tribune, October 16, 1908. n.p. (from Tacoma Public Library Church clipping file). n.a. “15 Churches Started Here.” Tacoma News Tribune April 21, 1957. pg A6. n.a. “New Churches of City Among Best in the Northwest.” Tacoma Daily Ledger, September 21, 1924, pg B-4. n.a. “Some Typical Tacoma Churches.” Tacoma Daily Ledger, Commercial Club Edition. January 13, 1909, pg 48. n.a. “South Tacoma Building and Road Projects Denote Prosperity.” Tacoma News Tribune, May 14, 1926, pg 1. n.a. “Tacoma A City of Substantial Churches.” Tacoma Daily Ledger, January 9, 1912, pg 14. n.a. “Tacoma is noted for the Beauty of its Churches, Schools, Parks.” Tacoma Daily Ledger, April 9, 1929, pg 4.

Nelson, Louis P., Editor. American Sanctuary: Understanding Sacred Spaces. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 2006.

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Norman, Edward. The House of God. London: Thames and Hudson, 1990.

Pearson, Arnold and Ester Pearson. Early Churches of Washington. Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, 1980.

Pichard, Joseph. Translated by Ellen Callmann. Modern Church Architecture. New York: Orion Press, 1960.

Stanton, Phoebe B. The Gothic Revival & American Church Architecture: An Episode in Taste. Baltimore: John Hopkins Press, 1968.

Taylor, Richard. How to Read a Church. Mahwah, New Jersey: Hidden Spring Press, 2003.

Thiry, Paul, Richard M. Bennett and Henry L. Kamphoefner. Churches & Temples. New York: Reinhold Publishing Company, 1953.

Warner, Andrew. “Churches Open Building Boom.” Tacoma Daily Ledger, April 8, 1925, pg 1.

Watkin, William Ward. Planning and Building the Modern Church. New York: F. W. Dodge Corporation, 1951.

White, James F. “Guidelines for Church Architecture.” Your Church. July/August 1967, pg. 20-27.

Architect Bibliographies

George W. Bullard

Files from the Tacoma Public Library, Architect Files. n.a. “G. W. Bullard Dies of Accident Injuries.” Tacoma News Tribune. May 30, 1935.

Frederick Heath

Hunt, Herbert. Washington West of the Cascades. Chicago: S.J. Clark Company, 917. Volume III, pg 343-344.

Kellogg, Caroline. “Time Machine: Frederick Heath, Tacoma’s premier, pioneer architect.” Tacoma News Tribune. April 18, 1976. n.p.

38 Kingstree Studios  2010  Tacoma’s Sacred Places

n.a. “100 N. W. Architects Honor Geo. Gove.” Tacoma News Tribune. April 12, 1949. n.a. “Death Calls F. H. Heath.” Tacoma News Tribune. March 3, 1953. pg 1. n.a. “Death Claims Noted Architect.” Tacoma News Tribune. September 1, 1956. n.p. n.a. “Frederick H. Heath, “Father of Stadium”- a Man Who Thinks.” Tacoma Daily Ledger. July 24, 1910. n.p. n.a. “Frederick Heath.” American Journal of Progress. Special Extra Number Describing and Illustrating Tacoma. Circa 1905. n.p. n.a. “Heath & Gove.” Pacific Builder and Engineer. September 9, 1911. n.p. n.a. “Heath & Gove Make Employee a Partner.” Tacoma Daily Ledger. June 7, 1914. pg 21. n.a. “Pioneer City Architect Dies.” Tacoma News Tribune. August 31, 1956. n.p. n.a. “Tacoma Architect Claimed by Death.” Tacoma News Tribune. August 20, 1951. n.p. n.a. “Tacoma Architect Given Recognition.” Tacoma News Tribune. May 15, 1950. n.p. n.a. “Tacoma Patents Coming into Use.” Tacoma Daily Ledger. July 6, 1919. n.p. n.a. “Tacoman Receives Unit Tile Patent.” Tacoma News Ledger. February 11, 1917. n.p.

Snowden, Clinton. History of Washington, the Rise and Progress of an American State. New York: The Century History Company, 1911. Volume VI, pg 149-151.

Lea, Pearson, & Richards n.a. “Charles T. Pearson, FAIA.” Tacoma News Tribune. August 12, 1994, pg B-1.

Docomomo wewa website http://www.docomomo-wewa.org/

39 Kingstree Studios  2010  Tacoma’s Sacred Places n.a. “Prominent Tacoma-area Architect John G. Richards St. dies at age 77.” Tacoma News Tribune. April 5, 1985, n.p. n.a. “Two Tacoma Architectural Firms Cited.” Tacoma News Tribune. March 3, 1968, n.p.

Koyl, George S. American Architects Dictionary. New York: American Institute of Architects, 1955.

Lundberg & Mahon

Artifacts Consulting. National Register Nomination for C.O. Lynn Funeral Home, Tacoma, WA, 2005. n.a. “Firm to Open Office.” Tacoma Daily Ledger. September 14, 1913, n.p. n.a. “ Funerals.” Tacoma Daily Ledger. October 12, 1947, pg A-2. n.a. “New President of Tacoma Architects.” Tacoma Daily Ledger. November 15, 1914, n.p. n.a. “Tacomans Design Seattle Church.” Tacoma Daily Ledger, May 16, 1937, n.p.

McGuire & Muri

Koyl, George S. American Architects Dictionary. New York: American Institute of Architects, 1955. n.a. “Architects Will Reveal Top Designs.” Tacoma News Tribune. December, 16. 1962, n.p. n.a. “Irvin E. Muri.” Tacoma News Tribune. November 6, 1968, n.p. n.a. “J.E. McGuire, Architect, Dies at 76.” Tacoma News Tribune. February 29, 1966, n.p. n.a. “New Armory.” Tacoma News Tribune. July 4, 1955, n.p. n.a. “Tacoma Man Joins Architects’ Firm.” Tacoma News Tribune. January 13, 1935. n.p.

40 Kingstree Studios  2010  Tacoma’s Sacred Places

Robert Billsbrough Price

Koyl, George S. American Architects Dictionary. New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1962. n.a. “Architect Price Had Won Numerous Design Awards.” Tacoma News Tribune. September 10, 1981. pg C-12. n.a. “Architects Name Tacoma Man ‘Fellow.’” Tacoma News Tribune. May 15, 1968. n.a. “Robert Billsbrough Price, Well Known Architect Dies.” Tacoma News Tribune. September 9, 1981. n.p.

Unpublished materials from Price’s AIA application file, provided by historian and architect, Jeff Ryan in 2009.

Paul Thiry

Docomomo wewa website http://www.docomomo-wewa.org/

Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl. Shaping Seattle Architecture. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994.