 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Washington | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Area | NA West |
| Members | 282,266 (2024) [1] |
| Stakes | 61 |
| Wards | 424 |
| Branches | 49 |
| Total Congregations | 473 |
| Missions | 7 |
| Temples | 4 Operating 2 Announced 6 Total |
| Family History Centers | 97 [2] |
The U.S. state of Washington has the sixth most members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the United States. [3] The LDS Church is the 2nd largest denomination in Washington, behind the Roman Catholic Church. [4]
| Year | Membership |
|---|---|
| 1920 | 1,199 |
| 1930 | 3,443 |
| 1940 | 5,113 |
| 1950 | 11,551 |
| 1960 | 35,701 |
| 1970 | 67,203 |
| 1980* | 138,000 |
| 1990* | 189,000 |
| 1999 | 226,411 |
| 2009 | 257,710 |
| 2019 | 289,479 |
| 2024 | 282,266 |
| *Membership was published as a rounded number. Source: Windall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac Country Information: Washington [1] | |
The first branch in Washington was created at Tacoma near the end of 1899, with its first stake being created at Seattle in 1938. [5] Washington's first temple was built in Bellevue in 1980. There are now also temples in Spokane, Richland, and Moses Lake. Temples have been announced in Tacoma and Vancouver. [6]
The first known member of the Church moved to Washington in 1852, [5] with missionaries arriving in Washington Territory from California as early as 1854. Enough converts were baptized along the Lewis River in the southwest portion of the state that a congregation was created in that area. Tensions escalated to the death of one member in 1911, who was given a secret burial at night.
Members of the Church helped construct the Oregon Short Line Railroad in the 1880s. By 1930, nearly two thousand members lived within the state with chapels located in the Puget Sound Region and in Spokane. [5]
In the 1920s and 1930s, local members participated in annual caravans, traveling to attend the Cardston Alberta Temple in Canada, which was the closest temple to the region at the time. Some caravan participants would travel more than 1,600 mi (2,600 km). With the completion of the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple in 1945 temple attendance shifted that direction until the temple near Seattle was dedicated in 1980. [7]
Irrigation projects by the United States Bureau of Reclamation in Central Washington saw many members move to the state. Initially, these members settled in the Yakima Valley with branches forming in Yakima and Toppenish drawn by a new Utah-Idaho Sugar Company factory. A branch in Walla Walla was part of the Stake in Union, Oregon.
In 1940, a Spokane businessman and church member was called to be the leader of the Northwestern States Mission. Scattered missionary work had occurred in the region prior to this, but more concentrated missionary activity didn't begin until closer to this time. [7]
As part of the development around the White Bluffs area, a local real estate agent traveled to the Cache Valley in Utah to sell plots of farmland. Some Cache Valley residents had been interested in moving out of the area to farm because farming plots had become too small or scarce to be economically productive. About 15 families moved to White Bluffs and formed a branch there around 1940. [7]
Shortly after settling, church members and others around White Bluffs were forcibly relocated when the U.S. Government confiscated the land to build the Hanford Site as part of the Manhattan Project. Many of the relocated residents moved to nearby farming communities. Meanwhile, construction and wartime activity at Hanford became another means to bring Latter-day Saints into the state.
A large branch formed in Richland and after the war was over, the church was granted a lease from the U.S. Government to build a church building within the city. This church building, located near the city center, was the first non-government construction in Richland since the start of the Hanford Project in 1943. Groundbreaking was in 1949 and the Richland Stake formed as the third stake in Washington a few years later. [8]
After World War II, the Columbia Basin Project resumed to bring water from the Columbia River to the arid land north of Pasco. Many Latter-day Saints from Idaho and Utah settled on this land as new irrigated tracts were opened from the 1950s to the 1980s. Church members were particularly successful because many had prior experience farming in states where they came from, which are also fairly arid. A stake was organized in Moses Lake in 1954 to accommodate this increased membership and Adams County continued to hold the highest rate of church membership in Washington in 2010. [7] [9]
In the 1960s the church-owned Utah and Idaho Sugar Company worked with local investors to acquire and build irrigation infrastructure for farmland in Walla Walla County. This enterprise expanded Benton County in the 1970s and came to be known as AgriNorthwest in 1986 and is an investment property of the church as well as a contributor to the Church Welfare System and other philanthropic activity. [10] AgriNorthwest expanded in the 21st Century by buying more properties in Washington and Oregon. [11]
List of LDS Church adherents in each county as of 2010 according to the Association of Religion Data Archives: [9] Note: Each county adherent count reflects meetinghouse location of congregation and not by location of residence. Census count reflects location of residence which may skew percent of population where adherents reside in a different county as their congregational meetinghouse.
| County | Congregations | Adherents | % of Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | 9 | 2,245 | 11.99 |
| Asotin | 2 | 1,457 | 6.74 |
| Benton | 31 | 14,294 | 8.16 |
| Chelan | 7 | 2,777 | 3.83 |
| Clallam | 7 | 3,102 | 4.34 |
| Clark | 37 | 20,793 | 4.89 |
| Columbia | 1 | 286 | 7.01 |
| Cowlitz | 7 | 4,513 | 4.41 |
| Douglas | 3 | 797 | 2.07 |
| Ferry | 1 | 296 | 3.92 |
| Franklin | 19 | 7,338 | 9.39 |
| Garfield | 0 | ||
| Grant | 19 | 7,562 | 8.49 |
| Grays Harbor | 6 | 3,254 | 4.47 |
| Island | 4 | 2,335 | 2.97 |
| Jefferson | 2 | 876 | 2.93 |
| King | 110 | 56,985 | 2.95 |
| Kitsap | 19 | 11,093 | 4.42 |
| Kittitas | 5 | 1,702 | 4.16 |
| Klickitat | 2 | 945 | 4.65 |
| Lewis | 7 | 4,304 | 5.70 |
| Lincoln | 1 | 215 | 2.03 |
| Mason | 4 | 2,587 | 4.26 |
| Okanogan | 4 | 1,153 | 2.80 |
| Pacific | 2 | 806 | 3.85 |
| Pend Oreille | 1 | 112 | 0.86 |
| Pierce | 52 | 33,152 | 4.17 |
| San Juan | 1 | 323 | 2.05 |
| Skagit | 6 | 3,870 | 3.31 |
| Skamania | 1 | 409 | 3.70 |
| Snohomish | 41 | 22,684 | 3.18 |
| Spokane | 48 | 24,246 | 5.15 |
| Stevens | 4 | 1,829 | 4.20 |
| Thurston | 18 | 10,774 | 4.27 |
| Wahkiakum | 1 | 212 | 5.33 |
| Walla Walla | 6 | 2,468 | 4.20 |
| Whatcom | 10 | 5,438 | 2.70 |
| Whitman | 5 | 1,792 | 4.00 |
| Yakima | 17 | 8,243 | 3.39 |
As of November 2024, Washington had the following stakes:
| Stake | Organized | Mission | Temple |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington Washington Stake | 24 Oct 2010 | Washington Everett | Seattle Washington |
| Auburn Washington Stake | 28 Nov 1982 | Washington Seattle | Seattle Washington |
| Bellevue Washington South Stake | 15 Mar 1981 | Washington Seattle | Seattle Washington |
| Bellevue Washington Stake | 1 Dec 1963 | Washington Seattle | Seattle Washington |
| Bellingham Washington Stake | 10 May 1981 | Washington Everett | Vancouver British Columbia |
| Bothell Washington Stake | 22 Nov 1981 | Washington Seattle | Seattle Washington |
| Bremerton Washington Stake | 19 Jun 1960 | Washington Tacoma | Seattle Washington |
| Centralia Washington Stake | 10 Sep 1978 | Washington Vancouver | Portland Oregon |
| Colville Washington Stake | 18 Oct 1981 | Washington Spokane | Spokane Washington |
| Elma Washington Stake | 28 Aug 1983 | Washington Vancouver | Seattle Washington |
| Enumclaw Washington Stake | 13 Mar 2016 | Washington Seattle | Seattle Washington |
| Ephrata Washington Stake | 15 Jun 1980 | Washington Yakima | Moses Lake Washington |
| Everett Washington Stake | 25 Oct 1970 | Washington Everett | Seattle Washington |
| Federal Way Washington Stake | 20 Nov 1977 | Washington Seattle | Seattle Washington |
| Gig Harbor Washington Stake | 28 Sep 1952 | Washington Tacoma | Seattle Washington |
| Graham Washington Stake | 18 May 2003 | Washington Tacoma | Seattle Washington |
| Kennewick Washington Stake | 24 Oct 1976 | Washington Kennewick | Columbia River Washington |
| Kennewick Washington East Stake | 31 Oct 1982 | Washington Kennewick | Columbia River Washington |
| Kent Washington Stake | 14 Oct 1984 | Washington Seattle | Seattle Washington |
| Lacey Washington Stake | 14 Sep 1997 | Washington Tacoma | Seattle Washington |
| Lakewood Washington Stake | 20 Oct 1985 | Washington Tacoma | Seattle Washington |
| Lewiston Idaho Stake [a] | 19 Oct 1958 | Washington Spokane | Spokane Washington |
| Longview Washington Stake | 4 Feb 1973 | Washington Vancouver | Portland Oregon |
| Lynnwood Washington Stake | 14 May 1978 | Washington Everett | Seattle Washington |
| Maple Valley Washington Stake | 22 Mar 1998 | Washington Seattle | Seattle Washington |
| Marysville Washington Stake | 29 Mar 1981 | Washington Everett | Seattle Washington |
| Moses Lake Washington Stake | 18 Apr 1954 | Washington Yakima | Moses Lake Washington |
| Mount Vernon Washington Stake | 30 Jun 1963 | Washington Everett | Seattle Washington |
| Oak Harbor Washington Stake | 23 Apr 2017 | Washington Everett | Seattle Washington |
| Olympia Washington Stake | 27 Aug 1967 | Washington Tacoma | Seattle Washington |
| Othello Washington Stake | 12 Aug 1979 | Washington Yakima | Moses Lake Washington |
| Pasco Washington Stake | 21 May 1967 | Washington Kennewick | Columbia River Washington |
| Pasco Washington North Stake | 20 Feb 2011 | Washington Kennewick | Columbia River Washington |
| Port Angeles Washington Stake | 23 Feb 1992 | Washington Tacoma | Seattle Washington |
| Pullman Washington Stake | 29 Sep 2024 | Washington Spokane | Spokane Washington |
| Rainier Oregon Stake [a] | 8 Mar 1992 | Washington Vancouver | Portland Oregon |
| Renton Washington Stake | 3 May 1970 | Washington Seattle | Seattle Washington |
| Richland Washington Stake | 25 Jun 1950 | Washington Kennewick | Columbia River Washington |
| Richland Washington South Stake | 26 Feb 2023 | Washington Kennewick | Columbia River Washington |
| Ridgefield Washington Stake | 24 Jan 2016 | Washington Vancouver | Portland Oregon |
| Sammamish Valley Washington Stake | 29 May 1977 | Washington Seattle | Seattle Washington |
| Seattle Washington Stake | 31 Jul 1938 | Washington Seattle | Seattle Washington |
| Seattle Washington North Stake | 19 May 1957 | Washington Everett | Seattle Washington |
| Selah Washington Stake | 29 Apr 1979 | Washington Yakima | Moses Lake Washington |
| Silverdale Washington Stake | 26 Aug 1979 | Washington Tacoma | Seattle Washington |
| Snohomish Washington Stake | 28 Jun 1992 | Washington Everett | Seattle Washington |
| South Hill Washington Stake | 28 Nov 1982 | Washington Tacoma | Seattle Washington |
| Spokane Washington Stake | 29 Jun 1947 | Washington Spokane | Spokane Washington |
| Spokane Washington East Stake | 17 Oct 1971 | Washington Spokane | Spokane Washington |
| Spokane Washington Mount Spokane Stake | 18 Jun 2016 | Washington Spokane | Spokane Washington |
| Spokane Washington North Stake | 7 Jan 1979 | Washington Spokane | Spokane Washington |
| Spokane Washington Valley Stake | 3 Jun 2001 | Washington Spokane | Spokane Washington |
| Spokane Washington West Stake | 12 Jan 1992 | Washington Spokane | Spokane Washington |
| Sumner Washington Stake | 17 Jan 1971 | Washington Tacoma | Seattle Washington |
| Tacoma Washington Stake | 19 Aug 1979 | Washington Tacoma | Seattle Washington |
| The Dalles Oregon Stake [a] | 26 Jun 1977 | Washington Yakima | Portland Oregon |
| Vancouver Washington Stake | 1 Dec 1963 | Washington Vancouver | Portland Oregon |
| Vancouver Washington East Stake | 17 May 1998 | Washington Vancouver | Portland Oregon |
| Vancouver Washington North Stake | 3 Nov 1985 | Washington Vancouver | Portland Oregon |
| Vancouver Washington West Stake | 5 Nov 1978 | Washington Vancouver | Portland Oregon |
| Walla Walla Washington Stake | 11 Mar 1979 | Washington Kennewick | Columbia River Washington |
| Wenatchee Washington Stake | 29 Jan 1967 | Washington Yakima | Moses Lake Washington |
| West Richland Washington Stake | 4 Nov 2012 | Washington Kennewick | Columbia River Washington |
| Yakima Washington Stake | 24 May 1959 | Washington Yakima | Columbia River Washington |
On July 26, 1897, the Northwestern States Mission was organized to search out Latter-day Saints who had moved to Washington, Oregon, and Montana. On January 1, 1968, The Pacific Northwest Mission was created with Joe E. Whitesides as president. On June 10, 1970, its name changed to the Washington Mission and ultimately the Washington Seattle Mission on June 20, 1974. As of 2023, Washington is home to seven missions, three of which are east of the Cascade Mountains, and four are on the west side.
| Mission | Organized |
|---|---|
| Washington Everett Mission | July 1, 2001 [12] |
| Washington Kennewick Mission | July 1, 2002 [13] |
| Washington Seattle Mission | January 1, 1968 |
| Washington Spokane Mission | July 1, 1978 [14] |
| Washington Tacoma Mission | July 1, 1990 [15] |
| Washington Vancouver Mission | July 1, 2013 [16] |
| Washington Yakima Mission | July 1, 2015 [17] |
| Temples in and near Washington () Temples in Washington or with districts |
Washington currently has four temples in operation. A fifth temple, the Tacoma Washington Temple, was announced by President Russell M. Nelson in his concluding talk of the Sunday afternoon session of the October 2022 General Conference on Sunday, October 2, 2022, to be built in Tacoma, Washington. [18] A sixth temple, the Vancouver Washington Temple, was announced October 1, 2023. In addition, members in the Bellingham Washington Stake are served by the Vancouver British Columbia Temple [19] and members in and around Vancouver, Washington are served by the Portland Oregon Temple. [20]
| edit | |||||
| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Size: | Bellevue, Washington, U.S. November 15, 1975 by Spencer W. Kimball May 27, 1978 by Marion G. Romney November 17, 1980 by Spencer W. Kimball 110,000 sq ft (10,000 m2) on a 23.5-acre (9.5 ha) site - designed by Emil B. Fetzer | |||||
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| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Size: Style: | Veradale, Washington, United States August 13, 1998 by Gordon B. Hinckley October 10, 1998 by F. Melvin Hammond August 21, 1999 by Gordon B. Hinckley 10,700 sq ft (990 m2) on a 2-acre (0.81 ha) site Classic modern, single-spire design | |||||
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| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Size: Style: | Richland, Washington, United States April 2, 2000 by Gordon B. Hinckley October 28, 2000 by Stephen A. West November 18, 2001 by Gordon B. Hinckley 16,880 sq ft (1,568 m2) on a 2.88-acre (1.17 ha) site Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by A & E Services, Joseph E. Marty Architect | |||||
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| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Size: | Moses Lake, Washington, United States 7 April 2019 by Russell M. Nelson [21] 10 October 2020 by David L. Stapleton [22] 17 September 2023 by Quentin L. Cook [23] 28,933 sq ft (2,688.0 m2) on a 17.2-acre (7.0 ha) site | |||||
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| edit | ||||
| Location: Announced: Size: | Tacoma, Washington 2 October 2022 by Russell M. Nelson [24] [25] 45,000 sq ft (4,200 m2) on a 11.6-acre (4.7 ha) site | |||||
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| edit | ||||
| Location: Announced: Size: | Camas, Washington, United States 1 October 2023 by Russell M. Nelson [26] [27] 43,000 sq ft (4,000 m2) on a 15.11-acre (6.11 ha) site | |||||
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