| Historic Name: |
Collins, Wallace G., House |
Common Name: |
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| Style: |
Spanish - Mediterranean |
Neighborhood: |
Capitol Hill |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1910 |
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| Significance |
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In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places. |
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In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance. |
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In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic districe (National and/or local). |
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This striking house, exhibiting the Mediterranean Revival on a grand scale, was designed by Warren Oates for Wallace G. Collins in 1908-10. The house, with more than 9,000 square feet and its grounds, occupy an entire block. Because of its size and prominent location on Broadway, it is one of the city’s best known houses, and was noted in the 1979 historic resources survey as being of landmark quality. It was altered in the 1920s, when some arcaded porches and a corner tower were removed. Further renovations occurred in 1989. The extensive grounds and secondary structures are surrounded by a wall and plantings, so are difficult to see and describe.
The house has had two long-time owners since Collins. Elijah Grammer, manager of the Admiralty Logging Company and president of the Grammer Investment Company, bought it in 1921; his widow Emma lived here until the late 1940s. At that time William D. Gross, of the Alaska Film Exchange, purchased the house and his family lived here until the 1970s.
Not surprisingly, the 1937 tax assessor’s data notes numerous special features, including five porches, six bathrooms, very extensive tile work, 1462 feet of brick walk, 110 feet of copper downspouts, 5560 feet of concrete wall, three tile and brick fireplaces and a built-in refrigerator. The two-story, three-car garage has its own address (1253 Federal Avenue E.) and is more ornate than most houses. It apparently includes one or more apartments.
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| Appearance |
| This large house has typical Mediterranean Revival characteristics, with a basic gable front and wing form, stucco cladding and a hipped roof with red clay tile and prominent curved brackets. The one-story entry arcade is in the center, in the angle of the ell. A tall central arch is flanked by two smaller arches, with an ornate cartouche above. The second floor above the entry and to the rear has a group of four arched windows echoing the entry. Most windows are eight-light casements. The two-story wing adjoining the entry has a group of four windows on each floor. The rear wing has similar windows in pairs or groups of four. On the south facade, a Mission-style arch, with two arched openings, pierces the cornice line. Below are a pair of two-story flat-roofed wings large arched windows on the ground floor and glass-enclosed sunrooms above. A porte cochere at the other end provides a drop-off point and entry. The property is surrounded by a balustraded stucco wall with ornate entry gates.
The garage is of stucco with a gabled roof clad with red clay tile. The gable end, facing Federal Avenue, has ornate scrolls and a trio of ten-light arched windows with elaborate surrounds and a window box. Below are three small windows with decorative wrought iron grilles. Elaborate wrought iron gates and pillars topped with urns of fruit mark the entry to the auto courtyard. The three hinged garage doors have nine lights each, with three-light arched transoms. Above is a pent roof and several nine-light window. |
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| Status: |
Yes - Inventory |
| Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
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| Cladding(s): |
Stucco |
Foundation(s): |
Concrete - Poured |
| Roof Type(s): |
Hip |
Roof Material(s): |
Clay Tile |
| Building Type: |
Domestic - Single Family |
Plan: |
Irregular |
| Structural System: |
Unknown |
No. of Stories: |
two & ½ |
| Unit Theme(s): |
Architecture/Landscape Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation |
| Integrity |
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Changes to Windows: |
Intact |
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Changes to Original Cladding: |
Intact |
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Changes to Plan: |
Slight |
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| Major Bibliographic References |
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Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890-1996.
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Woodbridge, Sally and Roger Montgomery. A Guide to Architecture in Washington State. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1980.
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King County Tax Assessor Records, ca. 1932-1972.
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