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Summary for 6929 CARLETON AVE / Parcel ID 2734100250 / Inv # 0

Historic Name: Loren C. and Vera Howden House Common Name:
Style: Spanish - Eclectic Neighborhood: Georgetown
Built By: Year Built: 1935
 
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 historic character of the Georgetown neighborhood. This is a generally well-preserved and distinctive historic property that appears to possess architectural and/or historic significance. This property exhibits no substantive changes to the exterior appearance since it was identified in the 1997 HRI project.

(1997) This property is associated with an era of residential and commercial building between 1916 and 1942 which continued in Georgetown despite an acceleration of the trends toward the industrialization of the area. Significant changes came with prohibition and the closure of the brewery in 1916, the completion of the Duwamish Waterway in 1917, and the arrival of new businesses, such as the Boeing Airplane Company in 1916. In spite of the increasingly industrial nature of the area which had been zoned as such in 1923, residents of Georgetown continued to build new homes and businesses and to plan for a future in the neighborhood. This residence was moved from 1016 South Bailey Street (adjacent to the site of the Georgetown Funeral Home) to this site in 1995. It was originally designed and built for Loren C. (and Vera) Howden, the manager of the Georgetown Undertaking Company. It was designed by Clayton D. Wilson, a noteworthy Seattle architect credited with the design of numerous significant buildings both in partnership with Arthur Loveless and independently.

Clayton D. Wilson (August 1865-1947).  Born in Ohio; may have arrived in Seattle from San Diego in 1900; employed by Bebb & Mendel, Seattle, 1901; independent architectural practice after 1901 (briefly associated with William W. de Veaux, 1903);  designed Municipal Building (later Public Safety Building; now 400 Yesler Building), Seattle (1904-09, altered); developed extensive residential practice, western Washington; in partnership Wilson & Loveless, with Arthur L. Loveless, Seattle, 1908-1911; designed William Bloch, Sr., residence, Seattle (1908), Clayton D. Wilson residence, Seattle (1911); practiced independently in Seattle, 1911-39; designed White & Hitchcock building, Seattle (1930-31), Loren & Vera Howden residence, Seattle (1939); retired to Port Gamble, 1941; then to Zenith; died near Fort Steilacoom. [Credit: Shaping Seattle Architecture, UW Press 2014, pg. 486.]
 
Appearance
An altered and moved, and only partly intact example of the Spanish Eclectic or Spanish Colonial Revival style. The Spanish Colonial Revival style was a popular however less common domestic and institutional architectural style between 1915 and 1940. This unusual and eclectic example exhibits particularly distinctive design features and historic building fabric, including: a prominent asymmetrical facade with parapeted front gable (with cross gable) form accentuated by stucco, brick and barrel tile finishes, coping and decorative gable end vents and shallow bay and segmental arched focal windows at the front elevation. The focal window sash was original leaded multi-pane and has been significantly altered to be fixed plate glass. Some original double-hung leaded glass windows remain in place on the south elevation. The Colonial Revival character of the design is further distinguished by double gable dormers with end returns situated on the south elevation. The recessed entry porch is brick masonry and includes a segmental arched opening. The original prominent end wall chimney has not been reconstructed. In addition to the window, and chimney alterations the original wrought iron ornament appears to have been altered and/or replaced. (Georgetown Add, Block B, Center 45' Tract 11).

Detail for 6929 CARLETON AVE / Parcel ID 2734100250 / Inv # 0

Status: Yes - Inventory
Classication: Building District Status:
Cladding(s): Brick, Stucco Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured
Roof Type(s): Gable Roof Material(s): Asphalt/Composition, Clay Tile
Building Type: Domestic - Single Family Plan: Irregular
Structural System: Balloon Frame/Platform Frame No. of Stories: two
Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture, Commerce, Community Planning/Development
Integrity
Changes to Windows: Slight
Changes to Plan: Intact
Changes to Original Cladding: Intact
Major Bibliographic References
City of Seattle DCLU Microfilm Records.
King County Property Record Card (c. 1938-1972), Washington State Archives.
Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890-1996.
Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl, ed. Shaping Seattle Architecture, A Historical Guide to the Architects. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994.

Photo collection for 6929 CARLETON AVE / Parcel ID 2734100250 / Inv # 0


Photo taken Apr 22, 1997

Photo taken Sep 18, 2014
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