First Presbyterian Church

Our History

First Presbyterian Church (FPC) of Tacoma was originally established in July 1873 to meet the needs of settlers who came to this region because it was the western terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Just a couple of months later, the great financial crash of September 1873 occurred, scattering most of the founding members. The church essentially had to be restarted in 1877 under the leadership of the Rev. John Thompson. Since then, FPC has played an uninterrupted role in the history of Tacoma and the Pacific Northwest.

The church's first gathering place was Fife Hall, which was used by the community for many other social events—"some questionable" according to one history of the church. Members eventually raised $4,000 to build a church home of their own at what is now 11th and Broadway. Past this location flowed a freshwater spring that came to be known as the "Presbyterian Spring" and provided drinkable water to the city for several years.

The church outgrew its first building and had to construct another one in 1890. In the interim between selling its old building and completing the new one, the congregation met for a year in a tent! During World War I, the church had to close its doors for five weeks in October and November of 1917 because of an epidemic that was sweeping the country.

The church built its third and current building in 1925. A masterpiece of Romanesque architecture, it was designed by famous church architect Ralph Adams Cram and is rich in Christian symbolism expressed in stone, wood, glass and mosaic. (Explore more about the current building's art and architecture on the "Our Building" page.)

Many of the church's current ministries and activities have roots in the past. In 1946, the church acquired Camp McCullough. Today this 40-acre lakefront conference center near Kent, Washington, has developed into an importance center for Christian training, retreats, and summer camps. Many young people continue to grow in faith and leadership ability as they work there as counselors and staff members.

During the initial decades after World War II, FPC made a major commitment to world evangelization, holding annual missions conferences with speakers from around the world. That commitment continues today, and the church currently supports two dozen missionaries in various parts of the world.

In 1969, a Christian preschool was started at the church. The First Presbyterian Church School now enrolls more than 350 children in preschool through grade five.

Throughout its history, FPC has been a defender of the the historic truths of the Christian faith, and it continues that commitment today as part of the "Confessing Church" movement in the Presbyterian Church, USA (for more information about the church's beliefs, see the webpage on "Our Beliefs").

The firm foundation of First Presbyterian Church of Tacoma is, and always has been, our Lord Jesus Christ, “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Everything we do comes from our relationship with God, and it brings us great joy to add new people to His family. We are building on the prayers of those who have gone before us, and we pray that we might be about changing lives for the sake of Jesus Christ until his return.

First Presbyterian Church, 1883

First Presbyterian Church, 1890

First Presbyterian Church, 1937