Enumclaw’s historic first church listed for $399K

Enumclaw, Washington—a south King County town of 10,000 known as the gateway to Mount Rainier National Park—got its name in 1885. In 1888, it got a railroad station. And in 1899, the town’s first church opened its doors to the devout. It was dedicated on Christmas Day that year, and sermons at the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church (which held other names in the years following) were preached in Danish until 1935.

Today, the church is a two-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath single-family home that sits a few blocks from the hamlet’s downtown core. The space offers just over 1,700 square feet and includes a detached garage and a private backyard patio surrounded by garden space and fruit trees.

The hour or so drive into Seattle might be worth it, when you consider that a two-bedroom, one-bath townhome in the former First Church of Christ, Scientist on Capitol Hill was recently listed for $1.8 million.

The Enumclaw pad looks like it was plucked right out of Stars Hollow and placed neatly on a 5,400-square-foot corner lot. Although the church has been changed and updated over the years, much of its historic exterior character remains. In old photos from the Enumclaw Plateau Historical Society, 1525 Griffin Avenue’s pitched steeple and arched windows are clearly visible.

Behind the home’s red door—a pop of color on an otherwise monochrome wood facade—there’s a large open-concept living room, dining room, and kitchen. Dark walnut cabinetry and stainless steel appliances sit under a domed ceiling in the kitchen—one of the interior’s few holler-backs to yesteryear.

The master bedroom, which includes an en suite and an old wood-burning stove, is also tucked away on the main floor.

Stairs from the living room lead to a massive second-floor loft that could be used as bedroom, playroom, or movie theatre. From the landing, this flex space offers a commanding view of the home’s first floor.

The church is currently pending an offer—but before that came through, it was listed for $399,000.

• 1535 Griffin Ave [Estately]