Salem Religious Institutions

Salem has a number of distinctive religious buildings in its central area. This 4.2 mile long walk will take you by a number of them, as you meander through central Salem. All but two of the buildings along the route are Christian in nature, the exceptions being a Buddhist temple and a Bahai worship place. The walk also traipses through Willamette University, the downtown commercial district, and the State Capitol. While long, the route is level.

The walk begins at the corner of 17th Street and Chemeketa Street NE. On the corner is the Chemeketa Street Evangelical Church building, which has been converted to a private residence. The church was originally built in 1894. While it is not individually on the National Register of Historic Places, the entire Court-Chemeketa neighborhood in this area is on the National Register. The original church vacated the building in 1929, and later it was used by Mennonites and then the LDS Church ("Mormons") until conversion to a private residence some time before 1987. The original Evangelical Church that inhabited the building was probably an ethnic German congregation, espousing the Calvinist strain of German Protestantism (in contrast to Lutherans).

Go south on 17th Street. In one block, at the corner of Court and 17th, is the Court Street Christian Church. While this building was constructed in 1949, the church has been located on this site since 1913, started as an east Salem "extension" of the First Christian Church in downtown Salem (visited later on this tour). Looking at the church's website, it appears to be non-denominational, professing no connection to any larger or national church organization. The church's theology states that the Bible is the only authority for its faith, but does not explicitly state that the Bible is inerrant.

Continue on 17th Street to its intersection with State Street. Turn left and go two blocks on State Street. At the corner of 18th and State is the State Street Church of God, which has only this sparse Facebook page for its online presence. More information about the building's history is available here. The church building was constructed a few years after 1900 for a predecessor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, a "mainline" Protestant denomination (see discussion for St. Mark Lutheran Church later on this walk). After a stint as a Baptist church the present congregation arrived in 1976. It appears to be a non-denominational church, which means it has no affiliation with a larger group of churches.

At 19th Street turn right and go one block to Ferry Street. On the corner of 19th and Ferry is the Korean Church of Salem. The church has a Facebook page without much content. The Korean Church of Salem is a Presbyterian congregation. The building was originally constructed in 1926 by a Congregationalist congregation which closed its doors and sold the building to its current occupants in 2005.

Turn right on Ferry Street and then turn left onto 18th. Go two blocks on 18th to Mill Street, then turn right and go three blocks on Mill to 15th Street - carefully cross busy 17th Street. At the corner of 15th and Mill is the Mia Chung Buddhist Temple, located in this attractive red building. The temple does not have a website - in fact, it appears to have no internet presence of any kind.

Continue on Mill Street to its terminus at 12th Street. Use the pedestrian crosswalk to carefully cross traffic, and then head right on 12th Street. After you pass the parking lot on your left turn left into the Willamette University campus. Turn right between the first two buildings, and then left at the first opportunity between buildings. Continue to the large green area known as the Quad. Go around the Quad to the right and stop at the second building on the right. This is Waller Hall, the oldest building on campus (dating from 1867). Among other campus offices it is the home of Cone Chapel, the school's religious facility.

If you visit during weekdays you can go into the chapel itself. In its current form it was consecrated in 1989. It features a stately pipe organ in the front and a dozen large stained glass windows. While Willamette University was founded in 1842 by Methodist missionaries the school has long been unaffiliated with any religious institutions.

After leaving Waller Hall continue north toward the State Capitol. At State Street turn left and head down the street. At the intersection of State and Cottage Streets, to the left,  is a Baha'i Faith Center. The Baha'i Faith was founded in 19th century Iran, and asserts a synthesis of past prophets of many world religions into a new monotheistic religion of world peace and unity. There are about 5 million adherents worldwide. The largest number used to be in Iran, but the Islamic regime under Ayatollah Khomeini and his successors has worked to ruthlessly extirpate the faith from that county since 1980.

Continue straight ahead on State Street for another block to Church Street. The street may be named for this structure, the First Methodist Church of Salem on the corner of State and Church Streets, originally built in 1878. Its spire is taller than every other structure in the city other than the State Capitol.  The original spire had to be replaced in 1984, but the new spire is an identical match. The United Methodist Church has 7.2 million adherents in the U.S., making it the third largest national church (behind Roman Catholicism and the Southern Baptists). This "mainline" Protestant church has its origins in the preachings and teachings of legendary 18th century evangelist John Wesley.

Turn right onto Church Street and proceed two blocks to Chemeketa Street, where you will turn left. After three blocks on Chemeketa turn right onto Commercial Street. In the first block, on the left, is the Union Gospel Mission. Founded in 1953, it serves the homeless while trying to convert them to Christianity, or at least have them become receptive to Christian teachings. There are many such Christian homeless shelters and providers of services to the homeless throughout the U.S. - the largest of these is the Salvation Army.

After two blocks on Commercial Street turn right onto Marion Street. After one block, on the corner of Marion and Liberty Streets, is the Salem First Baptist Church. A short history of the church is found here - while the church has been on this site since 1868, the current building was constructed in 1951. First Baptist does not make any mention of a national affiliation on its website, but it appears to be part of the Conservative Baptist Association, a loose group of churches that split from the more "liberal" Northern Baptist Convention in the middle of the last century. The history of formations, splits, and unions of groups of Baptist churches in this nation is much too complicated for any explanation here. National Baptist church organizations are often very loosely organized, and the particular theology of individual Baptist churches in the same grouping may vary widely. The Baptist faith is differentiated from other versions of Christianity by belief that the act of baptism - committing oneself to the Christian faith by complete immersion in water, is only possible for consenting adults (as opposed to the practice of other Christians, most notably Roman Catholics, of baptizing infants).

Turn left onto Liberty Street and after one block turn right at Union Street. After two blocks on Union turn left onto Church Street and walk north. At 675 Church St. NE is this beautiful old federal-style home. It is the Endicott House, built in 1910. and now converted into offices.

Continue north on Church Street. You will soon reach this bridge in the road that crosses Mill Creek. This waterway, augmented by a diversion from the Santiam River, meanders around the central Salem area, occasionally flooding homes and other buildings along its banks.

Continue on Church Street to "D" Street, then turn right. After one block, at the corner of Cottage and "D",  is the Evergreen Presbyterian Church. This congregation is a member of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The PCA split from the mainstream Presbyterian Church U.S.A. in the 1970's as a conservative reaction to the increasing liberalism of the national Presbyterian church, disagreeing with among other theological innovations the ordination of women. However the building, constructed in 1928 in a neo-Gothic style, was originally the Bethel Baptist Church, and has only been occupied by the current Presybterian congregation since 2008.

Turn right onto Cottage Street and go back south. After one long block you will reach Union Street - proceed another block to Marion Street. Between Union and Marion on your left is the Old Garfield School Building. Constructed in 1909, it served as an elementary school until 1973. It has now been repurposed as office space, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Opposite the Old Garfield School Building, on your right, is the Salem First Christian Church. The church is part of the Disciples of Christ national church. The church requires a belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, but encourages its individual churches and members to find their own way in Christianity and not follow any additional established doctrine. The church's national membership has declined steeply from 2 million in the 1950's to 650,000 today. Three Presidents, James Garfield, Lyndon Johnson, and Ronald Reagan, were Disciples of Christ at some point in their lives. This brick building that is home to the congregation was built in 1951, although the congregation was established in Salem way back in 1867.

Turn left onto Marion Street. On your right is the First Congregational United Church of Christ. The church's website describes itself as a "long established, theologically liberal, open and affirming, just peace congregation." The United Church of Christ is the most theologically and politically progressive of mainline Protestant churches in the United States, which is interesting, since Congregationalism has its roots in the austere Puritan churches of 17th century Massachusetts. The history of First Congregational in Salem goes back to 1852 - the current building was dedicated in 1941.

The next church is adjacent to the First Congregational Church, at the corner of Marion and Winter Streets, on your right - St. Mark Lutheran Church. This "American" Lutheran Church (with services in English instead of German) was formed in 1927, and originally used the "Old Presbyterian Church" building a couple of blocks away on Church Street. In 1958 the church dedicated this building and the old church, originally built in 1894, was demolished. St. Mark is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), which is a mainline Protestant denomination. This branch of Lutheranism is in "full communion" with the national Episcopal, Methodist, Reformed, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, and Moravian Churches, which means that these churches welcome members of sister churches in services. including at communion, recognize ordained ministers of sister churches, and coordinate and worship together in other ways that are described well in this ELCA webpage.

Notably, "full communion" among American churches does not include the Roman Catholic Church in America. Which brings us to the next church building. At Winter Street turn right and go two blocks to Chemeketa -  on the right is St. Joseph Catholic Church. While a Roman Catholic church building has been present on this block since 1864 the current building was completed in 1957, apparently with some local controversy over the height of the bell tower. Behind the church building is St. Joseph's Elementary School.

On the opposite corner of Winter and Chemeketa, on the right, is First Presbyterian Church, built in 1928. Amazingly, this substantial church building was moved to this location. The church was originally at the northeast corner of Winter and Chemeketa Streets. In 1958 it was moved diagonally across the Chemeketa/Winter intersection to its current location, to make room for the State's Bureau of Labor and Industries building. First Presbyterian is a member of the Presbyterian Church USA, a mainline Protestant denomination. Presbyterianism has its roots in the Scottish Reformation of the 16th century, whose leader was John Knox, and is based upon rejection of the rule by bishops and their replacement as leaders by governing boards of lay elders, or presbyters.

Continue one block further on Winter and then turn left onto Court Street. Stay on the left side of the street as you pass the State Capitol on your right, and continue several blocks, past the 12th Street railroad tracks, to the corner of 14th and Court. On your right is St. John Lutheran church. While the building looks older, it was constructed in 1953. St. John is a member of the Missouri Synod branch of Lutheranism, which dates back to a conservative reaction to increasingly "reformed" Lutheranism in early 19th century Germany, and was founded in the United States in 1847. The Missouri Synod Lutherans remain more conservative than the larger, "mainstream"  Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, and are not in full communion with other mainline Protestant faiths.

Continue on Court Street to 15th Street, then turn left. After one short block turn right onto Chemeketa Street, where in two blocks you will be back at your starting point.

Seattle Churches - First Hill

First Hill is appropriately named. It rose above the small shelf of land along Elliott Bay (since augmented with a significant amount of fill into the original bay) where Seattle began in the 1850's. The hill has seen a lot of phases and changes since then. This walk highlights the religious institutions - including the Roman Catholic Seattle University - that cover the northern part of First Hill. The 2.8 mile route has lots of ups and downs, but the payoff comes in the form of panoramic views of downtown Seattle and Elliott Bay to the west.

Our walk begins at the corner of 8th Avenue and James Street. Proceed north on 8th Avenue. To the left is the Trinity Episcopal Parish. The Gothic Revival building was constructed in 1892, replaced a wooden predecessor which burned in the Great Seattle Fire of 1889. The interior burned again in 1902, but the exterior was retained and augmented. More details of the building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, can be found here. The church is entered through red doors, an Episcopal Church tradition. The parish has remained in the Episcopal mainstream during the various controversies which roiled the national church during the 2000's, and welcomes all Christians to its altar. It's space is also used for a lot of classical music concerts.

After one block on 8th Avenue turn left onto Cherry Street. Go underneath noisy Interstate 5 and then turn right onto 5th Avenue. Go two blocks north on 5th. On the left, at the corner of 5th and Marion, is the former First United Methodist Church. This Beaux Arts style building was opened in 1910. When the Methodists moved to a smaller building to the north in 2001 the building was the subject of a prolonged battle over historic preservation, which ended with the church being spared and "air rights" above going toward permitting of a large office tower right next to it, which has yet to be built. Meanwhile, the building served for a few years as a concert hall before being purchased by the Mars Hill Church, a growing non-denominational congregation, and opening in early 2013. Less than two years later the church closed its doors at this location, and at the end of 2014 dissolved as a result of massive controversy surrounding its founder, Mark Driscoll. The beautiful old church building has a big "for sale" sign on its front, and its future is uncertain once again.

Continue north on Fifth Avenue. At the intersection of Fifth and Madison, to the left, is the striking Seattle Public Library, opened in 2004.

At Spring Street turn right and go east for three blocks, crossing Interstate 5 again. At the corner of Spring and 7th Avenue, to the right, is Seattle's First Presbyterian Church, a "mainstream" Protestant congregation. The current building was constructed in 1962, replacing its 1907 predecessor. The architecture is typical of "modern" church designs of that era. The church's original founder in the 19th century was Dr. George Whitworth, a Washington State pioneer who also founded Whitworth College, originally in Tacoma and now in Spokane.

At 8th Avenue turn left and proceed one block to Seneca Street. At the corner of 8th and Seneca, to the left, is Town Hall Seattle. While the building has served as a public meeting hall and music venue since 1999, as you might guess it is featured on this walk because it used to be a church. The Roman Revival structure was finished in 1922 as the home of the Fourth Church of Christ Scientist, Seattle. The story of the Christian Science church, founded by Mary Baker Eddy and most known for its belief in faith healing instead of medicine, is well-known. Christian Science has suffered major declines in national membership, and many of its very grand edifices have been adapted to new uses around the nation.

At Seneca Street turn left and go back over the I-5 freeway to Sixth Avenue. At Sixth and Seneca is the Plymouth Church, a United Church of Christ (UCC) congregation. As with most UCC congregations, the congregation welcomes all people to its services and events. The UCC is the descendant of the congregational churches of early American New England Puritanism, though it's hard to imagine the Massachusetts Puritans of the 17th century agreeing with the theological positions of the church today. But that's the point of congregational churches - they are mostly autonomous from each other and free to adopt positions on theology, liturgy, and most other church functions that fit the needs of the congregation. The 1910 church building at this location was damaged in the 1965 Olympia Earthquake, and this modern building replaced it.

After viewing Plymouth Church turn around and face the I-5 freeway. To your left will be a trail veering away from Seneca and into Seattle's Freeway Park. The park is built on a massive platform over Interstate 5, and includes features such as this fountain, visible soon after you enter the park. The park opened in 1976. Take the path that goes to the left around the fountain and then curves to the left.

This path leads eventually to the upper entrance of the Washington State Convention Center, a massive facility with its main entrance down below on Pike Street.

At the doors to the convention center entrance turn right to continue through Freeway Park. You will soon come to this whimsical sculpture, which is called the Seattle George Monument, created by noted Seattle public artist Buster Simpson. A weathervane at the top portrays profiles of George Washington and Chief Seattle.

Right beyond the Seattle George Monument, you will see this stairway plunging down and out of Freeway Park. Proceed down the stairway.

At the bottom of the stairway turn left onto 9th Avenue, and after a block you will see this set of long stairs back up the hill to the right. Take the stairway and trudge back up.

At the top of the stairway you will find yourself at the corner of Union and Terry Streets. Walk straight ahead on Union Street - the street veers slightly to the right at Minor Avenue. After three blocks you will see this Mission Revival building at the corner of Union and Summit. It is the Summit School, a former Seattle public school built in 1905, and now home to the private Northwest School. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. The best façade of this building is actually down Summit Street, to the left.

At Harvard Avenue turn right. Go through a complicated intersection with Seneca Street and continue on Harvard. On your right will be Seattle's First Baptist Church. This monumental Gothic revival structure was completed in 1912. First Baptist is definitely a part of America's "liberal" Baptist tradition - it welcomes all potential parishioners regardless of, among other things, their sexual orientation, and is also proud of its history as a "peace" church.

At Madison Street turn left, and you will be soon entering the campus of Seattle University, a Roman Catholic school administered by the Jesuits. The first campus building on view is the administration building on the right, with a distinctive bell tower. The building includes a small chapel.

After passing the administration building you will see a pedestrian entrance onto the campus to the right. Take the entrance, and then quickly take the campus driveway to the left, which skirts the Union Green. At the east end of the green space take a right. On your left is the Chapel of St. Ignatius. This innovative worship space, with its striking modern design, was dedicated in 1997.

The chapel is open during most daylight hours, so go ahead and respectfully view the interior spaces as well, which also exemplify the striking modern design. The lawn area, with a single row of trees to the south of the Chapel, is known as the "Thinking Field," and is part of the overall design concept for the chapel.

Continue to the south end of the campus green and then past the Albers School of Business, then turn right. Continue on the campus roadway past the Quad, then turn left. In the middle of the Quad is this striking fountain, designed by famous artist George Tsutakawa. The plaza and the fountain date from the late 1980's. For sports fans, Seattle University is best known for the college career of this famous NBA player.

Continue past the quad, and then another block along the campus driveway. Turn right after you pass this structure which is the Arrupe Jesuit House. This building serves as home to many of the Jesuit priests that work on campus. It contains 16 bedrooms and various offices.

Continue on the campus driveway to the intersection of Broadway and Cherry Street. Continue straight on Cherry and then turn right onto Minor Avenue. To your right is the massive Swedish Medical Center complex, located here since 1912 (though obviously not in these buildings). The Swedish Hospital complex is one of three on First Hill, which is sometimes known as "Pill Hill."

Continue on Minor Avenue to Marion Street, then turn left. After two blocks, at the corner of Terry Avenue and Marion, to the right is the Chancery Building, so named because it was the administrative headquarters for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle. The administration has moved across the street and this building is now the Archdiocese youth and young adult center.

Turn left on Terry Avenue. On your left is O'Dea High School, an all-male Roman Catholic institution with about 400 students. It has been on this site since 1923, and is named for an early 20th century archbishop.

On your right is the imposing St. James Cathedral, spiritual home of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle. Completed in 1907, the cathedral was originally graced with a large dome. However it collapsed under a heavy snowfall in 1916, and was not replaced.

Continue one block on Terry to Columbia Street, then turn right. If you were to continue on Terry you would come to the Frye Art Museum, in a distinctive modern structure. After one block on Columbia turn left onto Ninth Avenue. At the corner of 9th and Columbia is Skyline at First Hill, a luxurious new (opened in 2009) retirement community owned and managed by Presbyterian Retirement Communities Northwest, a non-profit organization affiliated with Seattle's Presbyterian churches.


Proceed two blocks on Ninth Avenue to James Street, enjoying (especially on a sunny day) the panoramic views downhill to the west of downtown Seattle and Elliott Bay. Turn right on James Street, and after one block you will be back to the starting point of this walk.

Seattle Religious Institutions - Capitol Hill

Capitol Hill is an old and very interesting Seattle neighborhood, located on the heights above downtown Seattle, although perhaps it wasn't originally "above" downtown before the amazing (by today's environmental standards) Denny Regrade was perpetrated on land between Capitol Hill and Puget Sound in the early 20th century. Capitol Hill was originally named in 1901 by a real estate developer who wanted the state capitol to move to Seattle from Olympia. At one point known locally as "Catholic Hill," it has a diverse religious history epitomized by this tour of religious structures in the southern portion of the neighborhood. The walk is 2.7 miles and has a lot of terrain changes.

The walk starts at the intersection of Broadway and Howell At this time you will need to find nearby available street parking to start the walk here, but soon this location will be on the south edge of the Capitol Hill Subway Station, part of an extension of Seattle's light rail line north from downtown to the University of Washington. The tracks visible in the picture will be the route for another new rail line to this location, the Seattle First Hill Streetcar, set to open later this year.

From the intersection of Broadway and Howell proceed east one block to Nagle Street, and then enter Cal Anderson Park, Continue straight across the park. Formerly Lincoln Park, it was renamed in honor of Washington State's first openly gay state legislator. There is an interesting fountain that you will pass on your left.

After crossing Cal Anderson Park you will reach 11th Avenue, where you will cross the street and turn right. On the corner of 11th and Howell is the German United Church of Christ, in this location since 1909. It is the last church in the Pacific Northwest to conduct its services in the German language. The building is, in the architecturally Spartan mode of congregational churches generally.

Continuing south on 11th Avenue, right beyond the German Congregational Church is the Central Lutheran Church parish house, providing extra facilities for the Central Lutheran parish located one building beyond on 11th. Of note is the banner, which refers to a successful campaign in the City of Seattle to raise the minimum wage to $15. It is a sign of the social and moral priorities of the Central Lutheran congregation.

At the corner of 11th and Olive, to the left, is the Central Lutheran Church, clearly from its website one of the more "liberal" Lutheran congregations. The congregation emphasizes issues of social justice and inclusivity in its religious program. While the congregation dates from 1890, this beautiful brick building was constructed in 1932.

At Central Lutheran turn left onto Olive Street. Go two blocks to 13th Avenue, then turn left. On the right side of the street is St. Nicholas Cathedral, a Russian Orthodox congregation. The congregation was founded in 1932 by Russian emigres escaping, as the church's website puts it, "the scourge of Bolshevism." They were also escaping from the established Russian Orthodox church in Seattle, St. Spiridon, for reasons which have been obscured by the passing decades. The cathedral, built in 1937, is dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra, the religious inspiration for today's thoroughly secular Santa Claus. The building is also dedicated to the "martyred Tsar Nicholas II, his Royal Family and all the Russian soldiers and people who died defending their faith, tsar and country." (from the Cathedral's website) The onion domes are typical of Russian Orthodox churches in Russia and around the world. 

After one block on 13th turn right onto Howell Street. On the left, at the corner of 13th and Howell, is the Assumption Greek Church. This Greek Orthodox congregation is part of a different national church from the Russian Orthodox down the block, but share the same Eastern Orthodox theology, which is well-summarized here. This congregation split from the older St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox church, located several miles to the north, in 1939. This particular building's history is unclear, but it is obviously much more modern than its Russian Orthodox neighbor St. Nicholas.

Continue three blocks east on Howell Street, then turn left onto 16th Avenue. At the corner of Howell and 16th is a small city park. Beyond the park, on the left, is the monumental 1909 First Church of Christ, Scientist, Seattle. The controversial church, founded by Mary Baker Eddy and best known for its belief in faith-healing, was a booming and well-funded organization in the early 20th century. However the number of congregations have declined by almost half in the U.S. in the past half-century, and this building was sold to a housing developer in 2006. It is now a condominium development titled "The Sanctuary." After some problems related to the Great Recession, the 12 condominiums are apparently sold and occupied.

Continue on 16th Avenue another block to John Street. On the left is the Group Health Hospital Campus, while on the right is the former Capitol Hill United Methodist Church building, constructed in 1906. In 1991 the Methodists vacated the building, and its fate was uncertain. However instead of being torn down it has been repurposed as a pretty cool office building for Catalysis, a "digital marketing" firm working with Seattle's (and the world's) tech businesses.

Turn right from 16th onto John Street. Across the street from Catalysis is a striking apartment building, the Anhalt Apartments. This English Tudor style building was designed and built by noted Seattle residential builder Frederick Anhalt. After 40 years in service as offices for the hospital across the street, it was repurposed as an apartment building again in 2009.

After one block on John Street turn right on 17th Avenue, and then after one block on 17th turn left onto Denny Way. After one block on Denny turn right onto 18th Avenue. On the left is this large old mansion which now serves as the headquarters of Save Seattle, a ministry of the Seattle Union Gospel Mission. The program offers year-long missions for young adults to serve the needy in the Seattle area and also enjoy life in the Pacific Northwest.

After one block on 18th turn left onto Howell, and then after one block turn right onto 19th Avenue. Once you cross busy Madison Street look up to see that 19th Avenue is also Rev. Dr. S. McKinney Avenue. Samuel McKinney was the pastor of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church for 40 years and was a major leader of the African-American community in Seattle.

Continue on 19th Street and on your left is the Rev. McKinney's church, Mt. Zion Baptist. It is the oldest and largest African-American congregation in the State of Washington. It has been located on this site since 1920, although the building underwent a major "African-style" redesign in the 1970's. The "black churches" of the United States have a long tradition of serving the spiritual needs of African-Americans, at first by necessity, due to segregation as strong in Christian denominations as it was in the rest of American society, but now by tradition and perhaps choice.

Continue on 19th Avenue. To the right is Peace for the Streets, This organization ministers to homeless youth in the Seattle area. While the group's website doesn't have any religious messages other sources indicate that it is in some sort of partnership with Mt. Zion Baptist Church across the street. Under any auspices, it appears to be a worthy organization with a worthy mission.

After two blocks on 19th Avenue you will see a stairway heading up a short hill to the right. Take the stairway and once at the top continue forward. You will be on Pike Street. Continue for three blocks, passing a playground and school on the left, and at the corner of 16th and Pike is Temple de Hirsch Sinai. This large established congregation serves Seattle's reform Judaism community - the most "liberal" of the three main strands of the Jewish faith in the U.S. The large temple facility, taking up an entire city block, was completed in 1960. As the result of a merger with a Bellevue congregation in 1971 the congregation has a second temple in that city.

Continue on Pike Street to Madison Street, which cuts diagonally across the street grid in this area. Veer slightly left on Madison to the stop light at 14th Avenue, which you will use to cross Madison. Then cross Pike to the north side of the street. Halfway up the block is another long-time (since 1886) Seattle African-American congregation, the First AME Church. The African Methodist Church in the United States was founded in 1816, by Methodists alienated by segregation and discrimination they suffered at the hands of established Methodist congregations in the Northeast. The building the congregation occupies was constructed in 1912.

Walk back to Pike Street and turn right. At the corner of 13th and Pike is the Elysian Brewing Company. Founded at this location in 1995, beer production now happens south of downtown Seattle. But you can duck in here and taste the brews, either now or by returning at the end of the walk.

Pike Street has some interesting sights as you continue west. This colorful mural on the left is indecipherable unless you happen to know that Closed Knuckle Jaw is a band, and "The Grizzled Mighty" is one of their albums.

Continue along bustling Pike Street to Summit Avenue. On the right, at the corner of Summit and Pike, is the Summit(on E. Pike), a meeting hall operated by the adjacent First Covenant Church. While the nondescript building is open for rental to any private party, it also hosts the Breakfast Club, a ministry of the church that provides meals for homeless and low-income Seattle residents.

Continuing on Pike Street, on the right side of the street at Bellevue Avenue is the First Covenant Church. The church building was consecrated as the Swedish Tabernacle in 1909. The congregation began in 1889 as the Swedish Christian Mission Church, not changing its name until the mid-20th century, by which time the Swedish character of the congregation had become diluted. The congregation belongs to the national Evangelical Covenant Church, formed in 1885 with roots in the Pietist movement that started in the 18th century as a German Lutheran "reform" movement. From Germany it traveled to Sweden, and then into the New World with Swedish immigrants.

After viewing the First Covenant Church turn right onto Bellevue Avenue. Go two blocks, then turn right again onto Olive Street. After four blocks traveling uphill on Olive Street turn left onto Harvard Avenue. On the right side of Harvard is the Seattle Central Community College campus. On the left, after one block, is Capitol Hill Presbyterian. This majestic structure was consecrated in 1924 as the Westminster Presbyterian Church. The current Presbyterian congregation is the result of a merger in 2006 between the building's existing congregation and the Church at the Center, formed in 1993 as a non-traditional "progressive" church using rented space elsewhere in the city.

At Howell Street turn right and use the walkway between buildings at Seattle Central College to reach the starting point for the walk at Broadway and Howell.