Congregational Church
Congregational Church
404 4th Street
Congregational church at Cheney, the seat of the normal school, the church was organized in 1881 and cared for the first year by the pastor of the first church, Spokane.
In March 1881, the Methodist church commenced erecting a small meeting house. The chapel which was used to last year [1889], was built at once. It was also occupied by the Congregationalists and Baptists, until these societies each erected a church of its own.
In 1882, Reverend F. V. Hoyt came from Yale seminary to become pastor at Cheney, where he was ordained and labored for four years. Mr. Hoyt is now the oldest resident Congregational pastor in the County.
At Cheney Mr. Hoyt organized the first Christian Endeavor Society in the County and probably in the state. The work has fluctuated considerably with the changes of the town, but it is now on a substantial basis. There are now 64 members under the pastorate of Reverend F. B. Doane and a large number of young people participate in the church services and work during the school year.
AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY, STATE OF WASHINGTON by Rev. Jonathan Edwards, W.H. Lever, Publisher 1900
The Congregational church was organized by Reverend Cushing Eells on February 20, 1881 in a hotel room over a bar in the new town.
The members paid for and dedicated their first, wooden, church building on 4th Street near the corner with F on December 11, 1881. The 30’ x 50’ building had a 10’ x 10’ tower 75’ high.The church could seat 300 people and had a 500lb bell donated by Rev. Eells.
Congregational Church 1904
405 F Street
As the congregation grew, the little wooden church no longer met members' needs.
A new, brick, Congregational church was dedicated at 405 F Street, next to the old wooden structure, on January 14, 1912 under the Rev. Francis O. Wyatt. This new building had a basement with rooms for Sunday school and activities, as well as a beautiful curved sanctuary and offices.
After the second Normal School fire on April 1912, some classes were held in the church, as well as drama productions until the new Normal administration building opened in 1915.
In 1957, the Congregationalists merged with the United Church of Christ. They continued in the building until 1971 when the sanctuary of a new church was completed on north 6th Street. The old building was used by newly formed protestant congregations and other organizations for another three decades. The old church was demolished to make room for a student focused apartment building.
Built in brick in the Arts & Crafts-Craftsman style. It was one-story with a full basement and a two-story bell tower. The sanctuary had an impressive curved cathedral ceiling. The shingled 2-story bell tower was a prominent Arts & Crafts feature.
The building burned to the ground in a suspicious fire 19 June 1990.
The original first-floor plan included the sanctuary, a Sunday School room, eight classrooms, a primary room, a choir loft, pastor's study, and a ladies parlor.
The basement had an 11-foot ceiling for recreational and social activities. It was originally designed as "almost one room." The space contained a kitchen, dining room, gymnasium, men's room with a fireplace, as well as the fuel and furnace room.
423 N. 6th Street
1971 the new sanctuary completed.
