Swedish Mission Tabernacle - Is It a Landmark?

The Swedish Mission Tabernacle building at 901 South 10th Street has been nominated to be placed on the local register of historic places.  Tacoma’s Landmarks Preservation Commission will be hearing public comments this Wednesday, November 9th.  One of the designers for the Beaux-Arts Neo-Classical building was Frederick Heath, who designed the Paradise Inn, Stadium Bowl, and more than 600 other Tacoma buildings. 

The Tabernacle is older than the 50 years required to be eligible for inclusion as a historic landmark, but it must also prove that it “Retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association such that it is able to convey its historical, cultural, or architectural significance.” As we’ve seen in the past, not every church finds an historic designation before it finds some better use for the property …

This will be the third nomination of a historic church to the Tacoma Register that Historic Tacoma has undertaken (Urban Grace and Central Lutheran were listed a year or so ago.) Who’s next? What other churches should we ensure get some attention?

For more on the Historic Landmarks nomination process and requirements, visit www.tacomaculture.org.  Read more about the Swedish Mission Tabernacle and its nomination from The Daily Index.

Photos by Kingstree Studios