Begun in 1925, the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist is one of the few examples of true Gothic architecture in the U.S. Designed by well known architect
Harold Clarence Whitehouse, of the firm of Whitehouse & Price, of Spokane, this cathedral is unique in that it was the only major cathedral to have been completed within the lifetime of the founding bishop. That bishop was The Right Reverend Edward Makin Cross, whose vision was the catalyst for the construction of St. John the Evangelist. Architecturally, it is classical Gothic with a strong French influence. Though dedication of the first section of the cathedral took place on October 20, 1929, it was not totally completed until 1961.
Built entirely of stone, using no wood or steel, the cathedral has many large stained glass windows, a large pipe organ,
Opus 1343, and a 49 bell carillon in the bell tower.
Given the size of the building and the thickness of its stone walls, its quite understandable that this cathedral would have been used as a
fallout shelter. This
fallout shelter sign is mounted on the stone retaining wall just outside a basement entrance at the southwest corner of the building. Note the gorgeous door in the entrance. There are even nicer ones in the building.
Dimensions of the Cathedral
Total length........................257 feet, 9 inches
Full interior width.................50 feet, 2 inches
Width across tansepts......................125 feet
Interior height of crossing...................92 feet
Height of nave...................................80 feet
Height of tower..................167 feet, 9 inches
Full seating capacity.....about 1,000 persons