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, built in 1961 by Aeolian-Skinner of Boston, and a 49 bell carillon in the bell tower. The carillon is played every Sunday at 10:15 AM, as well as the Fourth of July, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and other special occasions.
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
Following is the write up done by the authors of
Washington: A guide to the Evergreen State. Begun barely 15 years before their visit, the cathedral would not be completed for another two decades afterward.
16.
The CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST
(Episcopal), 1125 S. Grand Blvd., was designed in the Gothic style by Whitehouse and Price, architects. Only the main body of the building has been completed. Two towers, terminating in lofty pinnacles, dominate the sandstone structure. On either side above the elaborately carved main entrance arch are triangular spandrels, ornamented with the rose as a symbol of love and the pomegranate for unity; interwoven are the heraldic arms of the missionary district and of the bishop of the diocese.
The rose window on the facade is 23 feet in diameter. Other windows, not all of which are yet in place, are fine examples of stained-glass work by Charles J. Connick, Boston.
Oaken doors form the entrance to the narthex. The interior, designed
to give full advantage to the curves and proportions of the aisle arches and the clerestory windows, has a lofty blue ceiling ornamented with gold and aluminum. Medallions in the aisle windows illustrate the development of Christianity from apostolic times to the present.
From Washington: A guide to the Evergreen State