@dhein.pdx: Built in 1895, downtown Portland’s First Congregational Church is a rare Venetian Gothic gem. Its 175ft stone tower went up before steel skyscrapers even existed! Locals hated the basalt and sandstone pattern so much they called it the "Holy Checkerboard." 🏛️✨ #PortlandArchitecture #PortlandOregon #HiddenGem #HistoricArchitecture #DowntownPortland