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In 1920 a half block of
land adjacent to the University of Washington
was purchased by the Methodist Church
for the development of a ministry to the campus under the direction of the
Wesley Foundation. During this period a loosely organized group named the
Associated Methodist Students of the University
of Washington, with Rev. Thomas
Gambill as pastor, served the 700 Methodist students among the 5,000 students
enrolled at the University. To the north of the Wesley Foundation lot was the
land designated for a new Methodist
Church. Several houses existed on
that property and needed to be moved to enable the construction of what would
become University Temple
United Methodist
Church. Three homes on the
church's part of the property were moved to the campus ministry section and
were joined together with two houses already on the property. The houses were
made into a residence hall for women named the Wesley House. Rev. and Mrs.
Stanley Logan succeeded Rev. and Mrs. Gambill in 1921, and were assigned one
of the six houses on the property. This became the first Wesley House.
Another of the remaining five houses was joined to this house the following
year with a room and an office connecting the two. On October
23, 1923 the Wesley Foundation of Seattle
incorporated. Three additional houses were united to the Wesley House in
1925. The enlarged building was dedicated January
17, 1926. At the time 1,000 students attended Wesley Club.
University enrollment was 7,000. In 1929, Rev. and Mrs. J. Randolph Sasnett
replaced Rev. and Mrs. Stanley Logan. During these years, an expanding
student body and financial difficulties stemming from the Depression offered
a serious challenge to Wesley Club. After ten years as campus
minister in 1939, Rev. and Mrs. Sasnett were succeeded by Rev. and Mrs. Frank
Goodnough. He served Wesley Club more than twenty years and became affectionately
known as "Mr. G". During Mr. Goodnough's tenure the residence hall
housed about 50 women and 12 houseboys. This formed a hub for the campus
ministry. Between 150 to 200 students would regularly eat lunch at Wesley
House together during the school week. Primary financial support for the
ministry was from the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference of the Methodist
Church. A serious fire in 1944 (or
possibly in the Fall of 1946) necessitated a major rebuilding and remodeling
program. The building repairs and changes cost $200,000. Despite the vital
assistance of many friends of Wesley Club a debt of $65,000 remained
when the building was completed. In accordance to the laws of the Methodist
Church, the dedication of the new
Wesley House was delayed until the balance was paid in full. On May
4, 1958, free of debt, the Wesley House was officially dedicated.
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