Take a look to your left, and you’ll spot the former First Church of Christ, Scientist, perched quietly above the Truckee River. It’s easy to see why Anna Frandsen Loomis, a lady with both deep pockets and strong beliefs, wanted THIS spot for her congregation back in 1939. Now, $120,000 was a hefty sum then-think over $2.5 million today. Let’s say Anna wasn’t pinching pennies.
She didn’t just bring any architect on board, either. She hired Paul Revere Williams, whose name you’ll find in the history books as the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects. Williams designed this classic beauty in the neoclassical style-think columns and symmetry that would make ancient Greeks do a double-take.
After almost 60 years as a church, the building found a new life, thanks to another generous donor, Moya Lear. She helped transform it into the Lear Theater, let’s call that the ultimate encore. Today, with a spot on national and state historic registers, the old church continues to stand watch over the river-quiet, graceful, and full of stories.
