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Summary for 615 S BRANDON ST S / Parcel ID 1722800080 / Inv # 0
Historic Name: H.J. Hartsell Residence Common Name:
Style: Vernacular Neighborhood: Georgetown
Built By: Year Built: 1905
 
Significance

Based on field work conducted in September 2014, this historic property retains its relationship to the streetscape, historic building form and a sufficient amount of exterior historic building fabric (design features, cladding and/or window sash/openings) to contribute to the distinct character of the Georgetown neighborhood.

This is an altered but relatively intact historic property that may possess some limited architectural and/or historic significance. This property exhibits no substantive changes to the exterior appearance since it was identified in the 1997 HRI project.

This property is associated with the residential and commercial building boom in Georgetown which occurred between 1890 and 1916. Fueled by the construction of the Seattle Brewing and Malting Company’s new brewing facility after the turn of the century and the arrival of foreign immigrants, especially German and Italian, Georgetown came to rely more on its commercial and industrial bases rather than agricultural. With the increase of industry and business, Georgetown had grown in population from 1,913 in 1900 to approximately 7,000 by 1910 as families located themselves near its factories and other places of employment. The original owner/builder of this residence has not been identified. This residence is known to have been associated with H.J. Hartsell (Glendale, California) by 1915. S.T. Hart purchased the house in 1927.
 
Appearance
An intact, however slightly altered, example of a gable-front and wing vernacular house type. This was a flexible domestic plan type popularly constructed throughout the American West during the later half of the 19th C. and the early decades of the 20th C. This modest residence exhibits features and materials indicative of early 20th c. construction: a one & ½ story building form accentuated by a medium-low pitch roof and a combination of tall, narrow and cottage windows. The house is clad with aluminum siding that appears to have been laid over the narrow cedar siding. The character of the residence is altered by the absence of original window surrounds, corner boards and gable trim. However, the original wooden, double-hung window sash remain in place. This residence appears to have originally been a front-gable vernacular house type that was remodeled in 1927. The wing portion appears to have been added due to both an uncharacteristically low roof pitch and fenestration pattern (side gable end). Original window sash appears to have been reused on the wing addition. The front (projecting) and side porches with hipped roofs supported by square columns may be part of the original house design. A craftsman style door is situated at the rear elevation. The window shutters are a modern alteration. A small garage is situated at the alley side of the property. It is clad with narrow cedar siding similar to what may have used to originally clad the residence.

Detail for 615 S BRANDON ST S / Parcel ID 1722800080 / Inv # 0
Status: Yes - Inventory
Classication: Building District Status:
Cladding(s): Metal - Aluminum Siding Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured
Roof Type(s): Gable Roof Material(s): Asphalt/Composition
Building Type: Domestic - Single Family Plan: Irregular
Structural System: Balloon Frame/Platform Frame No. of Stories: one & ½
Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture, Community Planning/Development
Integrity
Changes to Plan: Intact
Changes to Windows: Intact
Changes to Original Cladding: Extensive
Major Bibliographic References
City of Seattle DCLU Microfilm Records.
King County Property Record Card (c. 1938-1972), Washington State Archives.

Photo collection for 615 S BRANDON ST S / Parcel ID 1722800080 / Inv # 0

Photo taken Mar 17, 1997

Photo taken Mar 17, 1997

Photo taken Sep 15, 2014

Photo taken Sep 15, 2014
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