| Historic Name: |
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Common Name: |
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| Style: |
Vernacular |
Neighborhood: |
Beacon Hill |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1907 |
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| Significance |
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Built in 1907, this residence was remodeled in 1920. By 1930, Jens H. Jensen owned the building. Eight years later in 1938 the building was a duplex, housing Henry E. Blomberg and Robert R. Rowe at 1307 with James E. Fidder and James N. Mecus in 1309. By 1941, the building contained seven separate units. Henry E. Bonner lived at 1309. From 1949 through 1953, the building was known as the Jensen Apartments, and 1307 had three units and 1309 had two units. In 1950, the building was owned by Don Hanson and he undertook repairs to non-structural fire damage in the building. The repairs returned the multiple flats to their original state. Walsh Services, Inc. was the contractor. Then from 1953 through 1962, the number of units in 1307 increased to six. The number of units then decreased by 1966 to three units, followed by a stark change in 1970 to two units in 1307 and eight units in 1309.
Beacon Hill is a long north-south tending ridge located southeast of downtown Seattle and stands 350 feet at its highest point. The hill’s steep topography deterred substantial Euro-American settlement through the early 1880s. Then, development of the area was stimulated by the introduction of streetcar lines in the 1890s, its proximity to Seattle’s main industrial area to the west, and the regrading of the hill’s north end in the early 1900s.
Originally acquired by the City in 1898, Jefferson Park was integrated into Seattle’s Olmsted system of parks, and the Olmsted Brothers prepared a plan for the park in 1912. The first public golf course west of the Mississippi opened at Jefferson Park in 1915. Jefferson Park has exerted a profound positive influence on the development of the Beacon Hill neighborhood.
Because of its proximity to the International District, Japanese and Chinese families moved to Beacon Hill starting in the 1920s. World War I and II stimulated a surge in housing development associated with wartime industry. The construction of Interstate 5 in the 1960s and Interstate 90 in the 1980s sliced through the neighborhoods and contributed to Beacon Hill’s relative isolation. Today, Beacon Hill is an ethnically diverse working class community, which has a mixed Asian, Chicano, African American, and Caucasian population.
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| Appearance |
| Built in 1907, this vertically massed, Vernacular style, multiple-family dwelling stands on a rectangular lot. The building is oriented to Thirteenth Avenue South and the sloped site drops downward to the rear from street level. This 1485 square foot, two-and-a-half story apartment building with a full daylight basement features a rectangular plan, measuring 45’ by 33’, with a 4’ by 6’ front porch. A poured concrete foundation supports the wood frame, clapboard- and contemporary shingle-clad superstructure. Asphalt composition roofing covers the cross gable roof. Continuous, moderately overhanging eaves wrap around the building. Aluminum and some wood 1:1 windows provide day lighting for interior spaces. Windows feature plain wood casings. Twin, two-story oriel windows project from the front facade on either side of the first story porch and second story balcony. A direct flight of wood stairs leads to the main entrance porch. Paired boxed columns support the second story balcony sheltering the porch. |
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| Status: |
Yes - Inventory |
| Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
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| Cladding(s): |
Shingle - Concrete/Asbestos, Wood - Clapboard |
Foundation(s): |
Concrete - Poured |
| Roof Type(s): |
Gable |
Roof Material(s): |
Asphalt/Composition |
| Building Type: |
Domestic - Multiple Family |
Plan: |
Rectangular |
| Structural System: |
Balloon Frame/Platform Frame |
No. of Stories: |
two & ½ |
| Unit Theme(s): |
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| Integrity |
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Changes to Plan: |
Intact |
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Changes to Windows: |
Moderate |
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Changes to Original Cladding: |
Moderate |
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| Major Bibliographic References |
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City of Seattle DCLU Microfilm Records.
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King County Property Record Card (c. 1938-1972), Washington State Archives.
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Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890-1996.
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City of Seattle. Survey of City-Owned Historic Resources. Prepared by Cathy Wickwire, Seattle, 2001. Forms for Ravenna Park structures.
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Tobin, Caroline. (2004) "Beacon Hill Historic Context Statement."
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