HomeMy WebLinkAbout1907 - Foster-Tukwila Presbyterian Churchwww.TUKWILAREPORTER.com JANUARY 2016 3
Tukwila's church that got out of the way of 1-5
BY LOUISE JONES-BROWN
TUKWILA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Foster -Tukwila Presbyterian Church
was founded in 1907. A plot of land locat-
ed at the corner of South 144th and 53rd
Avenue South was purchased in 1908.
Construction of a small church building
began in 1909 by the congregation. The
first Christmas service was held in 1909
although building was not yet completed.
The church basement was used for public
school classes for two years after the Tuk-
wila School had burned down in late 1919.
In 1942 a major expansion of the building
was finished.
The building of the Interstate 5 in the
1960s took most of the land around the
The Foster -Tukwila Presbyterian Church, left, shown in 1969 in a Tukwila Historical Society
photograph, stood at the corner of South 144th Street and 53rd Avenue South until it was moved
up the hill to 56th Avenue South, shown at right in a photo by Richard MVicLeland-Wieser.
church. The high cost of constructing a
new building made the idea of moving the
existing structure more appealing. There
was decision made to move the church that
included an expansion to serve the estab-
lished congregation.
A new property was secured on the hill
above the original location at South 144th
and 56th Avenue South.
The move took place on Aug. 26, 1969,
which was witnessed by community resi-
dents and took the entire day to complete.
A Tukwila landmark had been saved by the
congregation.
The re -dedication ceremony was held
on Sunday, April 26, 1970, in the newly
remodeled building. The Foster -Tukwila
PresbyterianChurch is now celebrating
109 years as a community institution.
Louise Jones -Brown is president of the
Tukwila Historical Society. The society oper-
ates the Tukwila Heritage and Cultural Cen-
ter, 14475 59th Ave. S., Tukwila. The center
can be reached by phone at 2 6-244- IST
or via email at tukwila ritagectr@tuk-wila-
history org.