May 19, 2013

604 H Street Road

(West side of church)

St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church
Blaine, Washington

"Blaine is a city in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The city's northern boundary is the Canadian border. Blaine is the shared home of the Peace Arch international monument. The population was 4,684 at the 2010 census.

Blaine, WA USA (Link 1.)

"The area was first settled in the mid-19th century by pioneers who established the town as a seaport for the west coast logging and fishing industries, and as a jumping off point for prospectors heading to British Columbia's gold fields....The city has a "turn-of-the-century" theme, marked by remodeled buildings and signs resembling designs that existed during the late 19th century and early 20th century.

"The world's largest salmon cannery ^[6]was operated by the Alaska Packer's Association for decades in Blaine; the cannery site has been converted to a waterfront destination resort on Semiahmoo Spit.... Several saw mills once operated on Blaine's waterfront, and much of the lumber was transported from its wharves and docks to help rebuild San Francisco following the 1906 fire there." (See Link 1.)

St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church is probably the closest United States church to the Canadian border in Washington state.  H Street is the first main intersection south of the Pacific Truck Crossing. At the south west corner is Blaine High School.  Six blocks west is St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church.  And  another six blocks west are the downtown streets of Blaine leading to the Pacific Ocean.

Front and east side of church
(Note 1960's Parish Hall addition)

St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church was built in Blaine in 1905, as the historic plaque attests.  "Saint Anne (also known as Ann or Anna, from Hebrew Hannah חַנָּה, meaning "favor" or "grace") of David's house and line, was the mother of the Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ..." (Link 2.)

"Greek icon of Saint Anne and Mary, by Angelos Akotantos"

(Link 2.)

The simple church has a small cupola style steeple topped by a cross.  The entrance is extended and has double doors.  Four Gothic pointed arched stained glass windows line each side of the sanctuary.

Sanctuary Window
(West side, exterior)

Sanctuary Window
(Exterior, west side)

Actually St. Anne's is one of two mission churches of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Ferndale, Washington.  The other mission church is St. Joachim of the Lummi Nation. As of 1996 these three churches have assumed the common name of The Northwest Corner Catholic Community.  The share a common pastor, staff, offices and in some areas, budget.  The members, as well as visitors from B.C., attend all three churches. The Northwest Corner Catholic Community is part of the Archdiocese of Seattle. (REF.)

"In 1860 Fr. Chirouse (from France) made his first visit to the Lummi Nation.... In 1861 Fr. Chirouse and the Lummis built a little log chapel near the mouth of the Nooksack River and dedicated it to St. Joachim-the father of the Virgin Mary and husband of St. Anne... the first Catholic inhabitants of ...Bellingham...sould cross the river in boats to attend mass at the Lummi church....a larger wooden frame church (was built) in 1869 (the present St. Joachim's)  It remains the 5th oldest standing church in Washington State...

"Fr. Chirouse also began to celebrate mass in homes of pioneer families in the Ferndale area, beginning in 1867.... In 1894 he (Fr. Boulet) and the Ferndale Catholics built the first St. Joseph's Church along the banks of the Nooksack.... in 1900, the St. Joseph's Church was moved to 3rd St. in Ferndale.

"Beginning in 1896, when Blaine was made a mission, Fr. Boulet took trips to Blaine by the train in order to celebrate mass in the Loomis Hall on Martin Street.  Our (St. Anne's) present site on 6th and H Streets was bought for $350 in September of 1905.  Fr. Boulet used money from his own savings to build the church between 1905-1907.... Fr. Boulet would come to Blaine once a month...  

"The 1920's brought many changes to our parishes.  In Blaine, St. Anne's underwent its first renovation... St. Anne's was enlarged in 1938 and the interior was covered with the present knotty pine paneling.  The parish hall was added in the 1960's, as was electric heat.  

Church Marque with Brass Historic Plaque Above 

"In, 1997, St. Anne's was named an official historic site in Blaine and a memorial plaque was affixed to the front of the church building." (REF.)

Photos: Taken in February 2013 by SW.
Reference: The Northwest Corner Catholic Community.  Thank you to Meg
               at the office at St. Joseph's for this publication.
Link 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaine,_Washington
Link 2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Anne

Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen (SW)