Holy Family History

It was 1870 when the first Catholic Church was built in what is now Auburn. It was an Indian Mission Chapel built near 3rd and R Streets, SE, in what was then the town of Slaughter. The first Mass was offered by Fr. Prefontaine, famed early-day Seattle priest. Father DeDecker, a Belgian priest, officiated from 1880 to 1887, followed by a 17 year period when occasional Masses were offered by priests from White River. During this time the town was re-named Auburn (1893) and the Chapel was destroyed by fire (about 1900). Mass was held in a series of public halls while the area was part of St. George Mission School near Milton (1904) and while part of Kent Mission (1906). The parish of Holy Family, Auburn, was established on Christmas Day, 1907, by His Excellency, the Most Reverend Edward John O'Dea, D.D., Bishop of Seattle.

It was created out of the territory of St. Anthony's in Kent. Although created as a parish, Holy Family was still without a pastor and Fr. Flavin, of St. Anthony's, continued to administer to the needs of the parishioners. The parish comprised only 20 families, but this handful of the faithful was determined to have a church. In 1909, the first Church of the Holy Family was begun on the corner of 1st Ave. SW and "E" Street. The church was solemnly blessed on August 8th, 1909. The first resident pastor, Fr. W.B. Hannon, arrived on November 5th, 1911. By this time there were 50 families in the parish. The population of Auburn grew, as did the parish of Holy Family. It became obvious that a complete new parish plant would have to be built, and in 1959 the property on 17th Street SE was purchased. Groundbreaking ceremonies for the new parish plant were held on October 14th, 1962. The buildings were solemnly blessed on August 11, 1963.