HistoryLink Tours

What is now a venue for a wide variety of cultural events began its life as one of several large church structures in the city for the Church of Christ, Scientist. Christian Science had become the fastest growing religion in the United States by 1936, resulting in a large building program nationwide. The principal architect for the Christian Science church in the United States, Solon Spencer Beman, suggested that central plan Neoclassical and Renaissance style churches were appropriate for the cities where most church growth was occurring. The designer of Fourth Church was Portland architect George Foote Dunham, who had previously worked in Beman’s Chicago office after graduating from the Art Institute. He would become a Christian Scientist himself in 1910 and designed many churches throughout the United States, including two in Seattle.

While the entire building was designed in 1916, only the first level Sunday School auditorium was constructed in 1917, with access off Seneca Street. It was really a daylit basement, with its roof meeting the grade at 8th Ave. The second phase, consisting of the main auditorium, large foyer, library, and offices, was completed in 1923. While under construction, the Seattle Times praised the Neoclassical design and noted that “one of the most attractive features of the church will be the dome above the auditorium which will be designed to accord the church excellent acoustics.”

The membership of the Church of Christ, Scientist declined rapidly nationwide in the late 20th century; Fourth Church members decided to sell their building in 1996, putting its future at risk. The church received several higher offers, but Historic Seattle’s successful offer included a plan to rehabilitate the building instead of demolishing it. The building was then transferred to Town Hall, LLC in 1998 and the first Town Hall program was a reading by U.S. Poet Laureate, Robert Pinsky in 1999. Almost every form of music has been heard at Town Hall, along with lectures, plays, dances and debates. The building recently underwent a seismic upgrade, a project which also improved accessibility, acoustics and rehabilitated its architectural features and stained glass windows.

In the vicinity:

The modernist SEATTLE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (1013 8th Avenue) was constructed in 1962 (education building and chapel) and 1969 (sanctuary) on the site of its previous 1907 church. The architect was William J. Bain of the firm Naramore, Bain, Brady & Johanson (later NBBJ). The massive stained glass window over the main entry was donated by the chairman of the Boeing Company; one can see a small depiction of a Boeing jet as a leaded silhouette in a lower corner of the window. One of the few remaining concrete brutalist structures in the city, the church’s future is at risk following the dissolution of the congregation in 2021.