HistoryLink Tours

925 S King Street

In the early 1880s, the Seattle First Baptist Church (founded in 1869) engaged in its outreach ministry by establishing mission churches to some of Seattle’s ethic communities that included the Scandinavian Baptist Church (1883), Japanese Baptist Church (1891), and the Chinese Baptist Church (1892). In the early years, the spiritual foundation of the church combined prayer services with an educational mission that taught English to the Chinese community. Without capital funding and no permanent home, mission meetings were held at a few locations in the south downtown that included a private home and a leased space of a building that was owned by Chinese businessman, Chun Ching Hock, in the old Chinatown location. By 1902 and with financial support of the Baptist Home Missionary Society of New York, a small structure was constructed at Maynard Avenue South and South Washington Street for the congregation. The church undertook a new building construction project with the purchase of property at 10th Avenue South and South King Street. The church was designed by Schack, Young and Meyers and constructed in 1922. In 1977 the congregation relocated to a new building on Beacon Avenue South. Over the years, the South King Street church building was used for a social service agency, refugee center, and a warehouse. It is now the home of the Chinese Southern Baptist Church and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

Turn north and walk along 10th Avenue S to S Jackson Street. Turn right and walk to 12th Avenue S and cross Jackson at that intersection. Once across the street, turn left and walk back to the middle of the block.