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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 Herren House was constructed about 1891. Archibald Herren (b. 1834) was born, raised, survived Civil War, married, and started a family all in North Carolina. Hearing of the boom times in Seattle, after its business district burned to the ground in 1889, the Herren's decided to move west. The family boarded the Northern Pacific Railroad and headed to the end of the line. In the early fall of 1890, shortly after they arrived, the Herrens purchased three adjoining lots from the West Seattle Land and Improvement Company and constructed their home. Although they might have completed the house by the end of 1890 it was likely completed in early 1891. By no later than the spring of 1891 Archibald, wife Iola (b. 1855), and their five children (daughters ages 19, 14, 7, 1, and son, age 5) moved into the house. During their four or five year tenure in the house they had two more daughters, Mattie (b. 1893) and Maude (b. 1895). While living there, Archibald Herren headed a real estate firm. During the 1893 Panic, a depression that lasted about four years, it became difficult to live in West Seattle. The West Seattle trolley line, built by the developers, went bankrupt and ceased operations. The West Seattle passenger boat reduced its runs to downtown Seattle. In late 1895 or 1896 the Herrens moved to Queen Anne. Herren apparently continued to own the West Seattle house until about 1900 when he sold it to Charles King.
Born in Switzerland, Charles King arrived in Seattle in the late 1890s and operated the Olympus Café in Pioneer Square. Soon after he moved into the house, King became active in promoting the incorporation of the town of West Seattle. The town was created to restart and operate the West Seattle trolley line, the first publicly owned trolley line in Washington. In 1902 and 1903 he served as one of the West Seattle town Councilmen. In 1904, he operated a bar and billiard hall in the Washington Hotel in downtown Seattle. The following year he became interested in real estate and established the Northwestern Investment Company. In 1906 King moved downtown and sold the house to recent Seattle resident James Van Horn. Van Horn, who dealt in lumber and real estate, died about 1910, leaving the house to his wife Kate (b. 1872) and two children Roy (b. 1892) and Carrie (b. 1903). The Van Horn family remainded in the house until 1920.
From the late 1920s until at least World War II, carpenter Thomas Sandvik, a Todd Dry Docks employee, lived in the house.
Historic Seattle 1975 survey of Alki listed the building as significant to the community.
Few intact residences exist from Seattle's first building boom (1887-1891). The Queen Anne style Herren House appears to meet City of Seattle Landmark criteria due to the age of the structure (over 100 years old), a representative example of the Queen Anne style of architecture, and minimal alterations.
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