901 North J Street (1908)

The Mission-style Immanuel Presbyterian Church was designed in 1908 by architect Ambrose Russell. He is considered one of Tacoma's most prominent architects of historic buildings from the early 1900s.

Organized in Old Town in 1888, the church was originally called Second Presbyterian. At that time services were held in the old Lowell Elementary School. In 1889 the church purchased the current site at the comer of North 9th and J Streets. The congregation built a wooden church in 1891 and changed its name to Immanuel Presbyterian Church. During the early 1900s a larger church was needed and the architectural firm of Russell & Babcock was hired to design a new building. The present building was constructed in 1909. The church school building was added in 1929.

The current church is Mission Revival in style, and is the only ecclesiastical example of this architectural style in Tacoma. The structure cost $20,500 to build. The Tacoma News Tribune reported in 1909 that the main auditorium is "the most beautiful of any church in Tacoma." The building is also unusual because the tower is located at the rear of the structure. This design modification was to accommodate the site's sloped lot. Another unusual feature is the sloped ramp to the narthex. instead of the more typical stairs. This feature is also due to the lot's steep incline.

The sanctuary was designed to seat 400. The exposed dark-stained wood trussing is part of the original design and has been maintained.

The original straight grain fir flooring is still visible. The sanctuary showcases a number of beautiful stained-glass windows. The stained glass windows along the nave are original. Interior modifications are minimal. In the 1950s the chancel and choir loft areas were remodeled and the cerulean blue stained glass window was installed. The window was manufactured by the Philadelphia studio of D'Ascenso.

In 1927 the church decided to construct a new educational wing. Period images show a Mission styled structure to the left of the church, attached by an open loggia. The building was originally designed to front J Street, in keeping with the main church. However, the finished structure sits to the back of the lot. Stanley T. Shaw served as architect for the addition.

The church architect Ambrose Russell was born in India, son of a Scottish missionary. By age 18 Russell decided to design buildings and enrolled at the University of Glasgow. He soon won a scholarship to attend the renowned École des Beaux-Arts in Paris where he became friends with classmate Bernard Maybeck. In 1884 Russell became one of famed architect H. H. Richardson’s last apprentices before his death. Before moving to Tacoma in 1892, Russell worked in several U. S. cities, including a brief partnership with Maybeck in Kansas City. He was associated with a number of architects and firms, including Albert Sutton, P. H. Heath, Spalding, and Babcock.

• A Walking Tour of the North Slope Historic District. Tacoma, WA. Historic Tacoma Press, 2008.
• Sacred Spaces: Tacoma's Historic Sacred Places. Tacoma, WA. Historic Tacoma Press, 2009