Building History

Iowa-born architect George Foote Dunham (1876-1949) designed the 3rd Church of Christ Scientist, erected during a three-year period, 1919 until 11/1922, due a shortage of funds. Cindy Safronoff wrote of the church for Historic Seattle: "The building project was launched by Third Church of Christ, Scientist, the week of Easter 1919 as the Spanish Influenza pandemic was fading out. Shortly after the Building Committee selected George Foote Dunham to be their architect, he sent them a watercolor rendering to show the completed building. The painting hung in the Christian Science Reading Room in the University State Bank Building at 45th and University – where church services were being held at the time – to inspire their members to contribute to the building fund. It took three and a half years to complete the building, due to construction delays caused by funding problems. For an entire year, the site on Northeast 50th Street and 17th Avenue Northeast (then called “University Boulevard”) sat inactive with completed walls and roof but no windows or doors. Members took shifts standing watch at the building at night to protect it from vandalism. After completing financing for the project in early 1922, the building was completed within the year. Three overflowing opening services were held on Sunday, November 12, 1922." (See Cindy Safronoff, Historic Seattle.com, "Preservation in Progress: About Third Church," published 11/09/2020, accessed 05/02/2022.)

Alteration

Seattle architect Carolyn D. Geise (born 09/08/1935 in Olympia, WA) worked on the renovation of the 3rd Church of Christ, Scientist, between 2008 and 2013.

PCAD id: 24317