Immaculate Conception Church, Catholic church in downtown Fairbanks, United States
The Immaculate Conception Church is a wooden building in downtown Fairbanks with a simple rectangular shape and traditional church design. Located at 115 Cushman Street, the structure reflects the straightforward construction methods used during Alaska's early development.
Built in 1904, it was the first Roman Catholic church erected in Alaska's interior. In the winter of 1911–12 it was moved across the Chena River to its present site at 115 N. Cushman Street, closer to St. Joseph's Hospital. After the move the basement was enlarged into a parish hall, the building was wired for electricity and a parish house was built next door. The steeple and vestibule were added in 1914, when the roof was raised and a choir gallery added; the stained glass windows followed in 1926–28. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
The church's move in the winter of 1911–12 brought it closer to St. Joseph's Hospital, which served the town until it closed in the 1970s. The parish house built beside the church after the move, the 1914 steeple and vestibule, and the stained glass windows of 1926–28 mark stages of the parish's growth. The building is a former cathedral.
The church sits in a walkable downtown location surrounded by other historic buildings that give the area its character. Visitors can view the exterior and appreciate the building's architecture from the street at any time.
The move in the winter of 1911–12 brought the church across the Chena River, closer to St. Joseph's Hospital. The hospital was founded by the church and closed in the 1970s. The steeple and vestibule were added in 1914, and the stained glass windows in 1926–28.
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