Added to the Washington state register of historic places on 27 October 2010.
photo from WADAHP.
The demise of the structure marked a turning point for many of Tacoma's original urban churches. As downtown property values grew higher and Victorian era churches increasingly needed expensive maintenance, many congregations made the decision to leave the commercial core and move towards residential neighborhoods. Although it is unknown how long the congregation would have stayed in their original structure, their move away from the downtown business district was a part of the larger decentralization of the downtown caused in part by middle-class citizens moving to the suburbs post-WWII. Central Lutheran was one of the first churches to leave, but unlike many of their ecclesiastical peers, the congregation wanted to stay fairly close to the downtown. Instead of fleeing out towards the West End, where some congregations relocated, Central Lutheran specifically selected a site that was close to existing residential neighborhoods and the downtown. They also wanted a location accessible to bus lines.
WADAHP
photo from Church Website
photo from Church Website
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