5 Remarkable Catholic sites not to miss in Washington State

There was no Catholic priest, let alone a church, when French-Canadian Catholic fur traders from the Hudson’s Bay Co. first settled in 1830s Washington.

But these settlers longed for the Church of their childhood. Their hearts cried out to receive the Sacraments. So they began to write letters, begging the bishop in Montreal for priests. 

They wrote again, and again, and again: in 1829, in 1834 and in the spring of 1838. 

At last they were rewarded when two missionary priests, Fathers Francis Norbert Blanchet and Modeste Demers, arrived on the banks of the Columbia River in November 1838. The priests made their way to Fort Vancouver and celebrated a solemn high Mass the next day inside the fort’s stockade.

Thus began the Quebec Mission in Oregon country, and the Catholic Church in a rugged frontier that counted 76 Catholics, mostly French Canadians and Iroquois men, women and children. 

Thanks to the sacrifices and faith of these early settlers and missionaries, the Church in Washington flourished. The Oregon Territory (including present-day Washington) became a vicariate apostolic in 1843. The Diocese of Nesqually was established in 1850, later becoming the Archdiocese of Seattle. Today, the Evergreen State has three dioceses—Seattle, Spokane, and Yakima—which serve roughly 1 million Catholics, about 12% of the population. 

Known for the stunning natural wonder of its mountains, islands, and rainforests, Washington offers many opportunities for encountering God’s creation. These sites also reveal God’s goodness through the human effort that built them as places to worship. These would be wonderful places to make a pilgrimage or to visit any time you find yourself in Washington.

Note: Always check current visiting hours and Mass schedules before planning your trip, as times may vary seasonally.

Special thanks to Joshua Zimmerman and Corinna Laughlin of the Archdiocese of Seattle, who contributed helpful information for this article.

St. James Cathedral stands as the crown jewel of Washington Catholic architecture. Built in 1907, it serves as the cathedral church for the Archdiocese of Seattle. Its Italian Renaissance design features a massive dome, which collapsed in a snowstorm in 1916 and was rebuilt differently. 

Try to catch the internationally acclaimed cathedral choir while you’re visiting (here is their concert schedule). And if you plan to visit with children, don’t forget to print and bring along the Cathedral coloring book and scavenger hunt helpfully provided on the church website (what a great idea!). 

Founded in 1838 by Quebecois missionaries, this historic church served as the first cathedral in the territory. The current structure, built in 1885, replaced earlier wooden buildings. The brick Romanesque building features striking stained glass, and its bell tower is a Vancouver landmark. 

Father Blanchet, one of Washington’s first priests and later archbishop, established the original mission here. The church maintained its cathedral status until 1907, when the episcopal seat moved to Seattle. The "proto-cathedral" designation acknowledges this historical significance. You can read more about the parish history here, including about Mother Joseph, the carpenter nun who helped embellish the cathedral in the 1800s.

This mission is an important part of early Washington history. Here the early Catholic missionaries and Yakama Indians, including Chief Kamiakin, worked side by side to make irrigation canals and raise crops in the 1800s. The Mission stood on the lands of Chief Kamiakin who asked the priests to come to this group of Yakama.

The site includes original log buildings from the 1860s and a replica of the original log chapel. The cemetery contains graves of early missionaries and Native American converts. Don’t miss seeing the “Catholic Ladder,” a simple, pictorial timeline designed to illustrate for the Yakama and other local peoples the history of man from creation through the life of Christ and beyond.

Today, the Ahtanum Mission encompasses about 12 acres, with the Diocese of Yakima still owning some 165 acres of the original 200-acre property. This picturesque spot is open for events, with a picnic shelter, tables, playground, and RV site. Mass is held here on the first Sunday of the month from April to November.

This peaceful mission church connects Washington's Catholic and Native American histories. The church sits near the grave of Chief Seattle (Si'ahl), who was baptized Catholic late in life. His memory is celebrated to this day, as the annual gathering of the local Suquamish Tribe is called Chief Seattle Days.

The simple white church building dates from 1902, though missionary work began in the 1840s. The picturesque building overlooks the Puget Sound, while its cemetery contains graves of many tribal members who were Catholic. 

The parish maintains strong connections with the Suquamish Tribe through annual celebrations that honor their shared Catholic-Suquamish heritage, making this site significant for understanding the history of culture and religion in Washington.

This Gothic Revival cathedral is the mother church for the Diocese of Spokane, with distinctive twin spires visible throughout downtown since its construction in 1908. The cathedral underwent major restoration in 2019, preserving its stunning stained glass windows from Munich, Germany, and its impressive pipe organ with 4,000 pipes installed in 1914. 

Bishop Charles White expanded the church in the 1930s, enhancing its marble altar and sanctuary that remain notable architectural features. The cathedral houses a replica of the famous Lourdes Grotto and a shrine to St. Peregrine, the patron saint of those battling cancer. The impressive church is a center of Catholic spiritual life in Eastern Washington.

This hidden gem marks the place where Father Blanchet opened the first formal Catholic mission in the Pacific Northwest in April 1838, using his now-famous “ladder catechism” with marks on a stick to teach the faith across language barriers. 

Though the original mission building no longer stands, a historical marker and cemetery remain to commemorate this foundational Catholic site. The current church building, dating to 1932, houses artifacts from the original mission while a peaceful outdoor Stations of the Cross winds through the surrounding woods for contemplative prayer. 

The historic cemetery contains graves of Hudson's Bay Company employees, Native Americans, and early settlers. As the birthplace of Catholicism throughout the entire Pacific Northwest region, this humble site is well worth a visit.