Frederick Heath, a prominent architect in Tacoma, was involved in designing First United Methodist to accommodate 1,150 people, making it one of the largest sanctuaries in the Northwest at the time of its completion in 1916. In addition to holding worship services, the church served as a hospital during a flu epidemic and as a community meeting hall, hosting speakers such as William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow. First United is one of a cluster of historic churches in Tacoma’s Hilltop Neighborhood that, collectively, provide a richly layered narrative about the social and economic development of Tacoma.