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Trinity Lutheran College began in 1944 as the Lutheran Bible Institute of Seattle (LBIS). Based in Minneapolis, the Lutheran Bible Institute system established campuses in Seattle, WA (1944), Teaneck, New Jersey (1948), and Los Angeles, CA (1951). All three campuses eventually became independent. LBIS began operations out of Gethsemane Lutheran Church in downtown Seattle. In 1949, the Institute relocated to a campus on Greenwood Avenue in North Seattle. LBIS initially focused on one and two year education programs in biblical studies and youth ministry. Over time, educational offerings expanded and enrollment grew, necessitating another move in 1979. The Institute purchased land in Issaquah, WA, that had previously been the home of Providence Heights College, from the Sisters of Providence. In 1982, LBIS became accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and expanded their offerings to include bachelors programs in traditional liberal arts areas such as education, communication, and music. To reflect the Institute's broad offerings and accredited status, the name was changed to Trinity Lutheran College in 1999. The College moved again in 2008, this time to the Port Gardner Building in downtown Everett, WA. Program offerings included 10 majors and 17 minors for Bachelors students, along with Certificate and Associate programs. That same year, the Trinity Education Foundation was established to provide financial support for Trinity students. In 2016, the College announced that they would cease operations. The final class graduated in May of that year. The Trinity Education Foundation continues to operate, now providing scholarship operations for students pursuing educational opportunities at faith-based institutions.

On Palm Sunday of 1944 the first worship service of Trinity Lutheran Church of Kirkland, Washington, was held in the American Legion Hall with Pastor Charles Crouch leading the service. Not long afterwards the old funeral chapel and apartment was purchased and remodeled to serve as Trinity’s church building and parsonage. Trinity worshiped in this space until 1959. Pastor Justin Torgrimson arrived in 1948 and served Trinity until December 1951.

Upon Torgrimson's departure, Pastor Haaland and Pastor Hjelmeland helped Trinity through the transition time of calling their next settled pastor, Pastor Ernest Raaum, in June of 1952 Trinity. The church purchased a new property for $4,750.00 in 1953 to accommodate a growing congregation. The parsonage was completed in 1956. Pastor G.A. Almquist assisted Trinity in calling their next settled pastor, Pastor Chester Blake, who arrived in August 1958. The congregation consulted the Board of Home Missions for help in building its new church building. With their help and the help of the Church Extension Fund the groundbreaking began on March 15, 1959. On Thanksgiving Day of that year Trinity gathered for their first service on these grounds.

In 1960 Trinity became affiliated with the American Lutheran church through the merger of the Lutheran Free Church with the American Lutheran Church. In 1964, Pastor E. Melvin Bremer was called to serve the congregation. After Pastor Bremer’s service to the community of Trinity, Pastor W.J. Stakkestad was called in 1975. Pastor Stakkestad served Trinity until 1990. In his time of service Trinity opened a Christian Preschool (1979-1994) and added the north end addition and basement.

Pastor F. Philip Stain was called in 1991. In 1992 the NW addition was constructed, and in 1996 an interior restoration took place. The pews were restained, the cross area was restored and repainted, and lighting was reworked, and the partition wall was extended to the ceiling. In 1996 Trinity partnered with several other congregations from various faith traditions and created the Greater Kirkland Ecumenical Parish (GKEP). In 2005 Trinity rented its parsonage to a member of the congregation, and welcomed a Korean Seventh Day Adventist congregation to worship in the building on Fridays and Saturdays.

In 2009 the Northwest Washington Synod called Pastor Diana Bottin to a 3 year term call at Trinity. A congregational vote was taken on June 23, 2013, to hand over assets to Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, Kirkland (ELCA) for the development of a young adult ministry to develop in this place. The last worship service held in this building under the name of Trinity Lutheran church was on June 30, 2013.

In July 1956, mission developer Richard G. Christensen began to proselytize in Shoreline, and in September the first service was held with 120 attending. Sunday school enrolled 59. Organization took place on February 17, 1957 with 107 charter members. The group purchased property and held a dedicatation day on December 29, 1957.

By 1960 Saint Stephen was thriving with two services, two choirs, 185 children in Sunday school, an active youth group, a new parsonage, and becoming officially self-supporting. In 1964 a new six-classroom education unit provided urgently needed facilities. Dedication of the new facility was held December 11, 1977.

In 2003 the congregation voted to enter into transformation, but in 2006 the transformation process fell apart, and the ministry was closed.

In 1896, James Henry Holden made his first claim on the area which would later become Holden Village. However, due to the expense and difficulty involved in transporting copper from the isolated mine, the operation did not begin its full productivity until 1937. By 1938 the mine had become successful and processed 2,000 pounds of copper ore daily.

The Howe Sound Company built a town site on the north side of Railroad Creek soon after the mine began to thrive. The town site consisted of a number of dormitories, a gymnasium, bowling alley, mess hall, school, and hospital, among other things. West of the town site was a patch of small houses intended for miners and their families. The Holden Mine and its town site flourished for many years despite the isolation. However, after World War II the price of metal fell and the resources of the mine began to diminish. The mine was closed in 1957.

With the closing of the mine in 1957, the Howe Sound Company sought a buyer for the Holden Mine and town site. With an asking price of $100,000, the remote piece of property did not sell. However, Wes Prieb, a man active in the Lutheran Bible Institute of Seattle, saw the potential for a spiritual retreat center at the old mine. Originally he asked the Howe Sound Company to give the land to the Lutheran Church as a gift. The Company refused, but eventually agreed to sell the mine, town site, and all the land for one dollar.

With the purchase of the land came a multitude of problems for the Lutheran Bible Institute. The structures were old and decrepit. Many were on the brink of collapse and those that still stood did not meet current building codes. With the help of large brigades of volunteers, the Lutheran Bible Institute successfully cleaned and refurbished many of the buildings. The Village began to function as a summer retreat center soon afterward. Originally, the Lutheran Bible Institute imagined a summer-only center, and kept limited staff on-hand for the first few winters. However, both the infrastructure needs of the community and the natural beauty of Holden Village in the winter led to the creation of a year-round retreat center.

Today, Holden Village operates as a year-round retreat center and is one of the most remote continuously inhabited places in the contiguous United States. Largely run by volunteers, the Village offers educational programming and outdoor recreation opportunities to visitors from all over the world.

The first Daughters of Norway lodge was formed in Seattle, WA in 1905. In 1908 the Grand Lodge was organized to act as a coordinating organization for all the lodges.

The lodges provided an opportunity for Scandinavian immigrant women to enjoy the fellowship of other women of similar backgrounds.

Lodges in Alaska, the Midwest, and on the West Coast prospered. Many of the original lodges remain although the needs of the members have changed.

Embla Lodge No. 2 was founded on 24 April 1907 in Tacoma, Washington, officially incorporated by the state as a nonprofit organization on 24 February 1908. The organization was chartered by the Sons of Norway and relied on the guidance of Valkyrian No. 1 lodge when they first started. Together with Valkyrian No. 1 and Freya No. 3 lodges, Embla Lodge No. 2 became part of the Grand Lodge Daughters of Norway on the Pacific Coast. Embla Lodge No. 2 was led by Sisters Laura Walstad, Minnie Holmes, Sofie Horn, Anna Krogh, and Lizzie Nelson for the first five years. Other prominent leaders were Sisters Marie Gunderson, Anna Christiansen, Martha Hegelstad, Anna Aarflot, and Jennie Olson Woog. In 1924, Sister Marie Gunderson was once again president, followed by Sister Clara Larsen. Each ruled for three years, and many joined during those years.

The name of the lodge, “Embla,” comes from the first woman of the human race, according to Norse mythology. Askr, the first man, and Embla were created from two trees on the seashore by three gods. The first god gave them life, the second god gave them understanding, and the third god gave them their physical appearance.

Embla Lodge No. 2 participates annually in the Scandinavian Heritage Festival in Puyallup, Washington, and also helps plan the annual Norwegian Festival at Pacific Lutheran University. They offer a variety of cooking classes at PLU in addition to various cultural programs held at the lodge.

Sons of Norway is the largest Norwegian-American organization in the world, comprised of members in the United States, Canada and Norway. The organization provides opportunities for members to familiarize themselves with the culture and traditions of Norway through local lodge and district lodge activities and events. Sons of Norway was organized as a fraternal benefit society by 18 Norwegian immigrants in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 16 January 1895. The purposes and goals were to protect members and their families from financial hardships during times of sickness or death. This was gradually expanded to include the preservation of Norwegian heritage and culture.

Originally, to qualify for membership, one had to be male, either Norwegian or of Norwegian descent, give proof of being morally upright, in good health, capable of supporting a family, at least 20 years old, and no more than 50 years of age.

Today, their extensive insurance program offered to qualifying members provides a firm foundation and economic base from which their numerous programs are carried out, furthering the cultural values of the Norwegian heritage.

The organization Sons of Norway consists of a main office and district offices that gathers all the reports and payments from the different lodges. The lodges are run by a president, finance secretary, secretary, cashier, and the members. All of the lodges have to send in financial reports and member lists every six month. The district secretary then meets with the main office secretary for a yearly meeting where they go through the reports.

There are 47 Sons of Norway lodges found in District 2, located in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. The oldest lodge, Leif Erikson Lodge No. 2-001 was organized in Seattle, Washington on 13 May 1903.

On 15 December 1884, a group of young Swedish men met at the Svea Hotel and decided to form an organization “for social and benevolent purposes.” Originally, the founders named their order Freja, but later changed it to Valhalla. For the first fifty years the group’s official language was Swedish, until a resolution was made to change the official language to English in 1939. The original initiation ritual, developed by the founders and later refined by brothers Gustave Pahrson and J.C. Lindahl, was based on Norse mythology and excerpts from the Frithiofs Saga. This ritual was later abandoned after WWI in favor of a shorter, more simplified ritual. The Order of Valhalla provided several services for its members, including health care and funds for funerals, which were provided through monthly fees paid by its members. In 1906 the order constructed its own building on South K Street in Tacoma, Washington and named it Valhalla Hall. The facilities of Valhalla Hall contained a tavern and dance hall, which were used for social gatherings, and other halls within the building, which were rented out to tenants. During the order’s early years, there was no interaction between Valhalla and local churches, until the tenth anniversary of the dedication of Valhalla Hall in 1916. During that celebration Rev. C.E. Bloomquist, pastor of the First Swedish Lutheran Church, served as guest speaker. This event opened the door for further cooperation between churches and secular organizations in the Swedish community.

The Order of Valhalla celebrated its 90th anniversary in December of 1974.

The Vasa Order of America was founded on September 18, 1896 in New Haven, Connecticut by Swedish immigrants on the principles of generosity, truth, and unity.

Pacific Northwest Lodge no. 13 was organized August 11, 1912 in Seattle, Washington by E.L Gissler from Connecticut. The nine local lodges represented were Nordstjarnan no. 145 of Spokane, Washington; Nobel no. 184 of Portland, Oregon; Norrskenet no. 189 of Hoquiam, Washington; Klippan no. 228 of Seattle, Washington; Forgat Mig Ej (later changed to Nornan no. 413) of Vancouver, B.C.; Trofast no. 231 of Everett, Washington; Norden no. 233 of Tacoma, Washington; Svea no. 234 of Bellingham, Washington; and Astor no. 215 of Astoria, Oregon. During that time District Lodge conventions were established as an annual event, but at the Spokane convention of 1920 it was changed in favor of a biennial affair in the interest of economy for both district and local lodges.

The Vasa Order of America is the largest Swedish-American cultural fraternal organization for families of Scandinavian descent in the United States of America. The order consists of 19 district lodges and several hundred local lodges throughout the U.S., Canada, and Sweden. The organization offers Scandinavian cultural and heritage programs, Swedish language study, children and youth clubs, scholarships and student loans, and many cultural activities for its members.

The Normanna Male Chorus of Tacoma formed on 15 October 1888 when a group of eight young businessmen in Parkland, Washington got together to begin a double quartet. They originally named the group Quartetten Luren, which was a common name in Norway for a quartet. “Luren” indicates the horn used by the Chalet girls in the mountains similar to the Alpine horn. The group’s purpose was to continue the tradition of male chorus singing of Norway, which is still an important cultural group in many Norwegian communities. As the chorus grew, the group moved to Normanna Hall in Tacoma, located at 15th and K Street, and adopted the name of the hall. On 27 October 1924, ten men signed the “Agreement to Form a Corporation of Musical Purposes.” One week later, they had their first official meeting as the Normanna Male Chorus.
The chorus is a member of the Pacific Coast Norwegian Singers Association which includes choruses from British Columbia, Oregon, California as well as four choruses in the State of Washington.
Every year since 1903 the association meets for its annual Sangerfest, in which the business of the association is transacted, and singers gather for a Grand Concert with more than 180 singers in attendance. In 1988, the Normanna Male Chorus celebrated the 100th Anniversary of its founding by holding the Sangerfest in Tacoma at the Pantages Theater.