Saint Edwards Catholic Church was built in 1931. It was designed by Paul Thiry who is known as the "Father of Northwest Modernism". He went on to be the head designer for the Seattle Center for the 1962 worlds fair. St. Edwards Church was destroyed this week.
The Seattle diocese sold the lot to Mason County. Mason County stipulated in the sales contract that the parish had to tear the building down.
Mason County intends to use the property as a parking lot.
Paul Thiry went on to be the principal architect of the Seattle World's Fair, the Washington State Library in Olympia, the Frye Art Museum in Seattle as well as the preservation and planning of Washington D.C. and its Capitol Building.
Saint Edwards was heralded as one of his early works that he designed before he became famous.
A group who wanted to save the historical building got together and offered Mason County $350,000 for the land. In the end it was down to one commissioner who decided to say no.
Saint Edwards has been an important part of the local community. Many people were married and baptized in this church.
Saint David's church, built in 1948 sits on the same block but it is protected as an historical building and can not be torn down.
Here is a slide show of the destruction, that I made over the past two months.
I just went up to take pictures of the new church and I discovered that it is at the site of one of my former geocaches. The cache was destroyed by a bulldozer a few years ago. Now I know who I have to thank for that!
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