First Presbyterian Church (Portland, Oregon)

As a congregation, what is now known as the First Presbyterian Church of Portland was organized on January 1, 1854, and was only the third Presbyterian church in the Oregon Territory. services were originally held in private homes, twice a month. and was dedicated on May 22. ==Building==

Construction of the existing building began in 1886. By May 1887, the foundation had been completed, and the cornerstone was laid in a ceremony on May 2 of that year. The chapel was finished in May 1889, as work continued on the main auditorium. The total construction cost was approximately $120,000 (equivalent to $ million in ). and the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. but copper cladding replaced the shingles in 1929, Exterior The building's stone exterior is made of rusticated black basalt with lighter sandstone trim. The current pipe organ is a 52-rank Jaeckel organ dating from 2000. It replaced a Moller organ that had been installed in 1929. The building's original organ was one transferred from the 1864 building at 3rd and Washington streets. Window gallery File:First Presbyterian Church Portland large east window - 1.jpg|Large window in rear wall of sanctuary File:First Presbyterian Church Portland - roof window.jpg|One of the four dormer windows in the roof of the main auditorium File:First Presbyterian Church Portland window - sanctuary side wall pair.jpg|Matching pair in north side of sanctuary File:First Presbyterian Church Portland window - above north door.jpg|Above northern main-entrance door ==Church grounds==

The parsonage at the southeast corner of 13th Avenue and Alder Street, immediately west of the main building, was demolished and replaced by a 3½-story, Tudor-style church hall In 1988, the 118-room apartment hotel and property, which had been acquired by some of the church's members, was donated to the church, under long-term plans to relocate its residents to replacement housing (known as the Alder House apartments) located kitty-corner from the main church property, and redevelop the site. Following a 2001-launched fundraising campaign among members, plans for the redevelopment came together. The Danmoore's residents were relocated, the building was razed, and a three-story underground parking garage was built in the space, being completed in March 2006. A landscaped plaza designed by Hennebery Eddy Architects was created on top of the parking garage, at street level, and opened at the same time. ==See also==