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Explore stories in Northwest history through highlights from MOHAI’s collections. Search by keyword below or browse the entire online collection by entering the asterisk symbol (*). Filter your search by type of materials.

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218 results for: Religion and Spirituality

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Image of University Congregational Church, Seattle, circa 1909
Photograph

University Congregational Church, Seattle, circa 1909

The University Congregational Church acquired the site for this building at N.E. 43rd St. and Brooklyn Ave. N.E. between 1907 and 1910. President Kane of the University of Washington and several professors helped to excavate the lot on which the church was built. Financial assistance came from the Plymouth Congregational Church downtown, and the church stayed at this site until…
ID Number:1983.10.8571
Date:Circa 1909
Image of Seattle Buddhist Temple, circa 1914
Photograph

Seattle Buddhist Temple, circa 1914

In 1901, a small group of Seattle's newer Japanese residents started a Buddhist mission society to meet various community needs. Because first generation Japanese immigrants couldn't own property, the society met in a rented house at Sixth Avenue and Main Street. In 1908, the group built its first temple on South Main Street.This photo shows the Seattle Buddhist Temple on…
ID Number:1983.10.9235
Date:Circa 1914
Image of Plymouth Congregational Church, circa 1910
Photograph

Plymouth Congregational Church, circa 1910

In 1891, Plymouth Congregational Church moved to a large, red brick building on the corner of Third Avenue and University Street. By 1910, the business district had expanded into this area, and the congregation felt pressured to move again. They sold the property to theater-owner Alexander Pantages and moved to their current downtown location.This photo shows Plymouth Congregational Church's old…
ID Number:1983.10.9280
Date:Circa 1910
Image of Peterson Hall at Seattle Seminary, circa 1913
Photograph

Peterson Hall at Seattle Seminary, circa 1913

Seattle Seminary opened on the north side of Queen Anne Hill in 1891. In the first term, there were two faculty members and thirty-four students, mostly at the elementary level. The school soon added college classes and dropped the lower grades. In 1915, it became Seattle Pacific College, and in 1978, Seattle Pacific University.This photo shows Peterson Hall at Seattle…
ID Number:1983.10.9340.1
Date:Circa 1913
Image of Pilgrim Congregational Church, Seattle, circa 1912
Photograph

Pilgrim Congregational Church, Seattle, circa 1912

Pilgrim Congregational Church is located on the northeast corner of North Broadway and East Republican Streets in Capitol Hill. The church is now called All Pilgrims Christian Church. Handwritten on sleeve: Betheny [sic] Church.Webster & Stevens number: 24925
ID Number:1983.10.9544
Date:Circa 1912
Image of St. James Cathedral  roof cave-in, February 2, 1916
Photograph

St. James Cathedral roof cave-in, February 2, 1916

During Seattle's 1916 blizzard, some fifteen tons of snow built up on the dome of St. James Cathedral, causing it to collapse. This left a fifty-foot hole in the roof and did so much interior damage that the building was closed for over a year for repairs. The dome was too expensive to rebuild, and it was replaced by a…
ID Number:1983.10.10241.1
Date:1916
Image of Mayor Doc Brown posing dressed as a preacher, Seattle, 1925
Photograph

Mayor Doc Brown posing dressed as a preacher, Seattle, 1925

Edwin J. "Doc" Brown (1864-1941) was a two-term mayor of Seattle, elected in May 1922 and again in 1924. He graduated from Kansas City School of Law in 1899, and worked as a dentist, thus earning the nickname "Doc" Brown. As a politician during prohibition, Brown personally did not drink alcohol, but supported the public's right to drink.In late 1925,…
ID Number:1983.10.12247.2
Date:1925
Image of Monastery of the Visitation, Federal Way, 1983
Photograph

Monastery of the Visitation, Federal Way, 1983

In 1983, the National Press Photographers Association sponsored a documentary project called "Day in the Life of Washington: September 23, 1983." Photographers from the NPAA, the American Society of Magazine Photographers, and freelancers participated in the 24-hour "Dayshoot," recording the ordinary occurrences of everyday life that might take on larger significance in a historical perspective. One hundred twenty of the…
ID Number:1984.118.073
Date:1983
Audio recording

Oral history interview with Chester Kingsbury and Reverend Robert Shaw, April 18, 1985

Oral history interview with Chester Kingsbury and Reverend Robert Shaw about the peace movement during World War II, their attempts to undermine racism after World War II, and religious organizing for peace. The interview was conducted by Lorraine McConaghy for the Life on the Homefront Oral History Project on April 18, 1985.For Shaw and Kingsbury, the fight against the war…
ID Number:1985.134.8
Date:1985
Image of Passover celebration at Herzl Synagogue, Seattle, 1955
Photograph

Passover celebration at Herzl Synagogue, Seattle, 1955

Passover, or Pesach, is a week-long Jewish holiday commemorating the ancient Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt. One of the most important parts of Passover celebrations is the seder. This ritual includes a retelling of the liberation story using symbolic foods, including bitter herbs and unleavened bread, and a ceremonial dinner. Passover occurs in spring and has been celebrated since…
ID Number:1986.5.4594.2
Date:1955
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MOHAI stands on the historic and contemporary lands and shores of the Duwamish, Suquamish, Muckleshoot, and other Coast Salish Nations. We acknowledge the forced displacement of Native Communities from this land while honoring the endurance of the Duwamish people who still live here.
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