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Overview

Portland architect George Foote Dunham (1876-1949) designed the 4th Church of Christ, Scientist in the First Hill neighborhood east of Downtown to resemble, in updated terms, Rome's Pantheon. It operated as a church from 1916 until 1998, when the congregation sold the building to a private owner. Owned by the non-profit Town Hall LLC, (referred to as the "Town Hall Association" by the King County Assessor), the building rechristened as "Town Hall" reopened for events in 03/1999.

Building History

The Christian Science Movement, founded in Boston in 06/1879 by Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910), taught healing (spiritual and physical) through devotion to Christian principles. Before the scientific concepts of germ theory and antibiotics were generally accepted, this faith-based path to good health was fervently followed, and the denomination remained very popular and well-funded in the early years of the 20th century. With the advent of remarkable medical discoveries and technologies during the course of the 20th century, however, the movement waned. By the last two decades of the century, Christian Science churches were being sold and congregations disbanded.

This fourth Christian Science group to form in Seattle congealed in 1909 with 41 faithful, and met in rented spaces at the Arcade Hall (1909-1914) and the Hippodrome Theatre (1914-1916) before the construction of this space. The congregation erected the church in two phases, first from 1916 thourgh 1917 and later between 1922 and 1923. The 4th Christian Science Church's main auditorium, or "Great Hall," had curved pews that could seat 825 people. During its 82-year service as a church the Great Hall housed weekly readings of the Bible and Eddy's Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures(1909), as well as hosting frequent musical performances. (The congregation purchased and equipped the Great Hall with a theatre organ in 1923.) Because acoustics were a very high priority for the congregation, Dunham carefully calibrated the sound projection within the Great Hall; its shallow dome, Neo-classical ornamentation and thick walls provided for fine sound transmission. The Town Hall web site noted of the building: "Architect for the church was George Foote Dunham of Portland, whose one other building in Seattle is the Christian Science Church on NE 17th on Fraternity Row in the University District. Dunham used a popular style for Christian Science churches, namely Roman Revival. Like most Christian Science Churches, this one was built to resemble a public building with no religious symbolism inside or out. The building has a large portico with six two-story columns fronting on Eighth Avenue, a central dome with oculus, large art glass windows, and elaborate window treatment with pilasters and a balcony on the Seneca side. All four sides of the building are clad in terra cotta, a popular white glazed material that 'reflects light well in winter and glows after rain.'" (See "History,"Accessed 05/27/2011.)The Christian Scientists did not dedicate buildings until their mortgages had been paid; the congregation retired its $300,000construction debts for its two phases of construction in 07/1937.

Following the building's 1998 sale by the church, a group led by Seattle Weekly and Crosscut.com founder David Brewster (b. 1939) worked with the King County Arts Commission, Historic Seattle and the Landmarks and Heritage Commission to line up funding. According to the Town Hall History page, this group consisted of "16 civic-minded Seattle citizens" who sought the space "for conversion into the community culture center."

Building Notes

This three-floor building contained 38,038 square feet, and occupied a 14,400-square-foot (0.33 acres) lot. Town Hall contained two assembly spaces on two floors, including the aforementioned Great Hall, and "Downstairs at Town Hall," seating about 275. Historian Dotty DeCoster, has suggested why so many former Christian Science churches have been adaptively reused: "Some aspects of Christian Scientists' faith and worship practices influenced the design of their church buildings and have made them excellent candidates for reuse. Religious services are organized around the reading aloud of the Bible lesson/sermon that Christian Scientists study all over the world each week. There are no religious symbols, no statues or crosses, adorning Christian Science churches, with the exception of the occasional use of the 'Cross and Crown' trademark in some reading rooms. Consistent maintenance and stewardship of the building were hallmarks. Music was a part of each service, and good acoustics were considered a design requirement. Christian Science churches built in the early twentieth century were designed to seat approximately 1,000 congregants for both church services and Sunday school." (See Dotty DeCoster, "Town Hall," written 05/28/2012. Accessed 03/03/2015.)

Alterations

An addition was made in 1922-1923. An article in the Seattle Star, "Cornerstone Is Laid for Science Church," stated: "The cornerstone of the Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist, at Eighth Avenue and Seneca Street, a structure which is expected to cost, unfurnished, approximately $200,000, was held a 8 a.m. Sunday, with an unostentation service. It is believed that the building will be completed in less than ten months." (See ""Cornerstone Is Laid for Science Church," Seattle Star, 10/30/1922, p. 14.) The building had its reopening in 09/1923. Although it had been specified originally, an elevator was not

PCAD id: 8626