First Methodist Episcopal Church
historic place
This is the First Methodist Episcopal Church in Seattle, King County, Washington, a designated Historic Place. The congregation was founded in 1853, establishing Seattle's first organized church. Their initial house of worship, known as the 'Little White Church,' was dedicated in 1855 at Second and Columbia. Later, a Gothic Revival church was dedicated at Third and Marion in 1889. The historic Beaux Arts building you see today, located at 801 Fifth Avenue, opened in 1908. It was constructed between 1907 and 1910, with the sanctuary dedicated in 1910. Architects James Hansen Schack Sr. and Daniel Riggs Huntington designed this notable structure. In 2011, this 1908 building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The congregation sold the building in 2007, and it later served as Daniels Recital Hall before reopening in 2018 as The Sanctuary event space. This site reflects a significant architectural period and the enduring presence of early religious institutions in Seattle's development.