St. Peter Lutheran Church Bell Tower- Spokane, WA
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T0SHEA
N 47° 42.020 W 117° 22.069
11T E 472404 N 5283059
At the corner of Regal Street and Wellesley Avenue, this landmark dominates its neighbourhood in northeastern Spokane, the community of Hillyard. Hillyard, once a city in its own right, was annexed by Spokane in 1942.
Waymark Code: WMJPTQ
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 12/14/2013
Views: 1
A congregation of the ELCA, this beautiful buff brick church, built in 1951, is 62 years old this year. Its crowning glory is its large magnificent bell tower, topped with a tall octagonal spire clad in cedar shakes.
The first Lutheran services were held in Hillyard in 1907 in private homes, done in German. Eventually the congregation became too large for the homes available to hold services, and the Congregational Church at 4917 North Lacey Street was rented to use for services. By the time regular services were held, the name "Saint Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church" had been chosen for the congregation.
Formal organization occurred on September 17, 1911 with about 20 charter members. The first church was dedicated in the summer of 1912, built almost entirely by the members and the pastor. Later the church building was moved to the corner of Regal and Wellesley, the cornerstone being laid on October 19, 1919. In September of 1923 the building sustained its first fire, which required a few weeks of repairs. In June of 1930 a second fire again damaged the church, with rebuilding beginning immediately. The church's mortgage was burned in 1941 and in 1943 yet another fire ravaged the church, causing yet another rebuilding.
In June of 1951 construction of the present building commenced with completion occurring on January 20, 1952, at a cost of $100,000, not including considerable labour provided by the congregation. Within two years the parish was enlarged and in 1982 an addition, named "Gathering Place" was added to the church, which included an elevator and handicapped accessible restrooms both upstairs and down.
The church celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 2011.
