Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist (Spokane, Washington) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist |
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View from southwest in 2009
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 Location in Washington (state)
Location in the United States
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| 47°38′42″N 117°24′36″W / 47.645°N 117.41°W | |
| Location | 127 E 12th Avenue Spokane, Washington |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Episcopal |
| History | |
| Founded | 1929 |
| Founder(s) | Edward Makin Cross |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Harold C. Whitehouse |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1924 |
| Completed | 1954 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 1000 |
| Length | 257 feet |
| Height | 180 feet (55 m) |
| Materials | Sandstone |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Episcopal Diocese of Spokane |
The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist is a beautiful church in Spokane, Washington. It is the main church for the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane. This cathedral was formed when three churches in Spokane joined together on October 20, 1929. These churches were All Saints Cathedral, St. Peter's, and St. James.
Building the cathedral started in 1925. It was mostly finished in about 30 years. The main architect was Harold C. Whitehouse. The cathedral is located in the Rockwood neighborhood on Spokane's South Hill.
You can visit the cathedral Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM. Guided tours are often available on Fridays from 11 AM to 2 PM. On Sundays, tours usually happen right after the last morning service. A tour typically lasts about 45 minutes.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
Planning and Early Construction
The idea for a new cathedral began in 1924. This was soon after Bishop Edward Makin Cross arrived in Spokane. He dreamed of building a grand cathedral on the South Hill. It would replace the older All Saints Cathedral downtown.
Bishop Cross hired Harold C. Whitehouse, who was a member of the church, to design it. They chose a vacant piece of land where a famous Spokane resident, Francis H. Cook, once lived. The cathedral stands on a hill about 2,160 feet above sea level. Grand Boulevard, a major street, goes right in front of the cathedral. It then goes steeply down into Downtown Spokane. Because it's on top of a hill, the cathedral is a clear landmark. You can see it from many parts of downtown and areas to the north.
Design and Building Phases
Harold Whitehouse traveled around Europe to get ideas for the design. He decided to use the English Gothic style, with some French influences. The first part of the cathedral, the nave (the main seating area), was finished in late 1929. This allowed the first church services to be held there.
Just ten days after these services, the 1929 stock market crash happened. This was a time when the economy struggled, and money became very scarce. Because of this, construction on the cathedral stopped for almost 20 years.
Building work started again in 1948. The chancel (area around the altar), sanctuary (holy place), transepts (parts that cross the main body), and the tall Gothic tower were completed by 1954.
The first leader of the cathedral, called a Dean, was Richard Coombs. He moved to Spokane in 1956 from Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Salinas, California.
Cathedral Features
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The entire cathedral is built from cut stone. It's a very strong building made of solid stone. The outside is made of sandstone from near Tacoma, Washington. The inside uses sandstone from Idaho and some limestone from Indiana. There is no wood or steel used for the main structure of the building.
Bishop Cross Tower and Carillon
The tall tower is named Bishop Cross Tower, honoring the cathedral's founder. Inside the tower is a special musical instrument called a carillon. It has 49 bells! This is one of only a few carillons in the Northwest United States. The bells were made and put in place by an English company called John Taylor & Sons.
Carillon concerts are played during Sunday services and at special religious or community events. The best place to hear the carillon is from outside the cathedral on the nearby grounds.
Interior Design and Art
The inside of the cathedral has many beautiful carvings and figures in its stained glass windows. These designs include symbols from many different faiths. Some notable carvings were made by Ole Sunde from Seattle and by Arcangelo Cascieri and Adio diBaccari from Boston.
The stained glass windows are in the classic Gothic style. They were created by the Charles J. Connick firm. After that company closed, the work was continued by Willet Hauser Architectural Glass.
The Cathedral Organ
The Cathedral Organ is a very large musical instrument. It has 4,039 pipes! It was designed and built in 1957 by the Aeolian-Skinner Company. The organ was made to play all kinds of organ music. It was updated in 2000 by Marceau & Associates. The sound from even the smallest pipes can be heard clearly in every part of the building. Organ concerts are held throughout the year.
See also
