| Historic Name: |
Procunier, T. H. House |
Common Name: |
Procunier House |
| Style: |
American Foursquare |
Neighborhood: |
Green Lake |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1903 |
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| Significance |
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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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The Procunier House was constructed in 1903. Carpenter Thomas Procunier (b. 1858-ca 1931) was drawn to Seattle by the city’s building boom during the 20th century’s first decade. Thomas H. and wife Carrie (b. 1862) Procunier, both born and raised in French Canada, married in 1880. Seven years later they moved to Watertown, South Dakota. In1903, after enduring 16 Midwestern winters, the Procuniers and their five children, ages 5 to 18, boarded a train headed for Seattle. Shortly after arriving in Seattle, they purchased some property near Green Lake, procured a building permit, and Thomas constructed the house at 5747 N Terrace Ave. Although the building permit listed Procunier as both the builder and architect, he might have used plans created by Fred L. Fehren because this foursquare house has many features used by Fehren for his Classic Box style homes. Fred L. Fehren was one of the earliest, if not the first, Seattle architect to promote this house style. Fehren claimed credit for introducing what he called the “Spanish Colonial style” house to Seattle in 1900 or 1901. By the late summer of 1905, he claimed his firm built, apparently most in the Seattle area, over 700 “Spanish Colonial” houses. In 1905, Fehren published a house plan book titled “Architectural Book of Spanish Colonial Designs” which marked the beginning of the most popular period for this style. Fehren apparently was the first to include corner bay windows typically found on the second floor of his foursquare houses. If he was not the first to establish this style, he certainly popularized the Classic Box.
The house address changed numerous times from 5747 N Terrace Ave, to 5747 E Green Lake Blvd, to 5748 E Green Lake Blvd. to 5754 E Green Lake Blvd. The Green Lake streetcar ran right in front of the house making for an easy commute to downtown Seattle.
Depending on Seattle’s boom and bust building activity, the Polk directories listed Procunier as a carpenter, cabinetmaker, or building contractor. Upon his death about 1931, the Procuniers had celebrated more than 50 wedding anniversaries. Widow Carrie (1862-1953) continued to reside in the house until the beginning of World War II, living there for nearly 40 years. Carrie was active in the local Congregational Church and the Ladies Literary and Musical Club. She also served as president, of the local Chautauqua Club, that periodically would organize events that included speakers, from near and far, to talk on all sorts of topics with entertainment, and good food. When 90 year old Carrie died she had 13 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandson.
Later occupants. During the early 1940s, Ralph M. and Edna M. Devin lived in the house. Ralph Devin worked for the Bank and Office Equipment Company. In 1945, the Northwest District Council Assemblies of God purchased the house. The Reverend Martin B. and his wife Martine Kuamme lived there. Rev. Kuamme operated the Missionary Rest Home for the Oriental Relief Agency. During most of the 1950s, John D. Saunders owned and lived in the house. In the early 1960s Keith and Ruth Marsden lived in the house.
In the 1975 Historic Seattle Survey of the Greenlake neighborhood lists the house as Significant to the Community. The 1979 Seattle Historic Resources Survey inventoried the building.
The Procunier House appears to be one of Fred Fehren's earliest Seattle Box designed buildings. The residence appears to meet City of Seattle Landmark criteria due to the architect, age of the structure (over 100 years old) and minimal alterations.
Sources:
"Mrs. Thomas Procunier Dies at 90" Seattle Times February 5, 1953. Clippings B4, Seattle Room, Seattle Public Library, Downtown Branch
Ochsner, Shaping Seattle Architecture. p. 71
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| Appearance |
| On April 22, 1903, owner and carpenter T. H. Procunier procured a building permit for a two story 28 x 36 foot residence. The Seattle Building Department extended the 90 day permit to November 1, 1903. The house includes many elements for a Classic Box style foursquare: corner box bay windows with brackets on northwest and southwest corners of second floor, hip dormer on west roof slope, and upper sash of double hung windows are leaded glass. Two wide Doric columns support an hip porch roof. Box bay window on southwest elevation. Scalloped shingles on second floor. Residence has a nice view of Green Lake.
Three bay windows including two corner. Decorative windows, one hipped dormer, exposed rafters, Green Lake view.
Permit # 20075 "2 story frame residence 28 x 36 [feet]" $2700 April 22, 1903 extended to November 1, 1903. Plans filed by owner |
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| Status: |
Yes - Inventory |
| Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
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| Cladding(s): |
Shingle, Wood - Clapboard |
Foundation(s): |
Concrete - Poured |
| Roof Type(s): |
Hip |
Roof Material(s): |
Asphalt/Composition |
| Building Type: |
Domestic - Single Family |
Plan: |
Rectangular |
| Structural System: |
Balloon Frame/Platform Frame |
No. of Stories: |
two |
| Unit Theme(s): |
Architecture/Landscape Architecture |
| Integrity |
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Changes to Plan: |
Intact |
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Changes to Windows: |
Intact |
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Changes to Original Cladding: |
Intact |
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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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Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl, ed. Shaping Seattle Architecture, A Historical Guide to the Architects. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994.
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City of Seattle. Seattle Inventory Field Form. 1979.
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Courtois, Shirley L. "Criteria for Evaluating Classic Boxes," report to Office of Urban Conservation, Department of Community Development, City of Seattle. December 1979.
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Seattle Daily Bulletin
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Historic Seattle Preservation and Development Authority. “Greenlake: An Inventory of Buildings and Urban Design Resources.” Seattle: Historic Seattle, 1975.
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