Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 4039 Whitman AVE / Parcel ID 1931300510 / Inv #

Historic Name: Henry House Common Name: Henry/Greene House Style: Vernacular Neighborhood: Wallingford Built By: Year Built: 1904   Significance In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance. The Henry/Greene House was constructed in 1904. In the summer of 1903, shortly after he moved to Seattle, William J. Henry (b. ca 1868) purchased property in the Fremont district. By the end of the year, he acquired a building permit for a one and a half story cottage. Born and raised by an Irishman, in 1890, Wisconsin native William Henry, married another Wisconsin native Gracia Belle (b. ca 1868). By spring 1903 Henry completed building the house and the Henrys moved in. The house was located just a block away from the Green Lake streetcar line which made for an easy downtown commute. After just a few months they moved out and apparently rented it for two or three years. In 1908, they moved back into the house for a few months before selling it to Reverend Samuel Greene. William Henry continued living in Seattle and spent the rest of his career until the 1920s as a building contractor and carpenter. About 1908 the Reverend Samuel Greene (b. 1835) and his wife Flora (b. ca 1856) of one year acquired the residence. Samuel Greene arrived in Puget Sound in 1874. The Superintendent of Indian Affairs appointed Rev. Greene to the Makah Indian Reservation where he remained for a year before purchasing a farm near the site of Kent. In 1877 he formed the White River Congregational Church, the first of dozens of Congregational Churches he established in Washington. In 1887 Rev. Greene moved to Seattle and the Congregational Church appointed him Superintendent of missionary work for Washington and northern Idaho. During his tenure as Superintendent, a position he still held when he moved into 4039 Whitman Ave, he established over 700 Sunday schools and 200 churches. He also served on the Whitman College Board of Directors for 20 years. The only occupants of the house during the Greenes eight-year residency were the couple and a domestic servant. In 1910, the domestic servant was a 19 year old male who had emigrated from Japan in 1905. Later occupants. In 1928 W. J. and Kathryn H. Crim occupied the house. W. J. Crim worked for General Motors Truck Company as assistant branch manager. From 1933 through World War II driver Joseph M. and Hattie C. Elliott owned and occupied the house. Joseph Elliott worked for Associated Transfer and Stage Company. After the war, Dwight O. and Margaret D. Lear moved into the house. From the mid 1950s into the 1960s, Charles E. Callaway, a machinist for Continental Can and his wife Mary lived there. By 1961 Pacific Northwest Bell telephone operator Cheryl D. Lloyd also resided in the house. Donald Fischer purchased the house in 1966. In 1975 Historic Seattle conducted a survey of the Wallingford neighborhood and listed the residence as Significant to the Community. A field survey of the residence was conducted by the 1979 Seattle Survey and noted its significance due to "originality of design." The residence appears to meet City of Seattle Landmark criteria due to the age of the structure (at least 100 years old) and the significance of Reverend Samuel Greene, an early occupant.   Appearance The side gable residence located on a corner lot has two large hip dormers, full width porch, box windows, leaded glass windows, and gable braces. The Seattle Building Department issued W. J. Henry a building permit on December 19, 1903 (Permit # 24625) for a 19 x 42 foot one and a half story residence. On April 12, 1909, owner Rev. S. Greene received a permit (# 74686) for a remodel of the house designed by Josenhaus and Allen. The building permit did not list what was done but apparently the house was raised and placed on a new concrete foundation. In 1921 a garage was built into the basement of the north elevation (Permit #201438). In 1945 the residence was converted into a duplex and the rear porch was enclosed. Each side of the side gable house has a flared dormer with a hip roof. A full width recessed porch with decorative square columns. The north elevation has a box bay window on the first floor and a three sided bay window with a gable roof on the second floor. The south elevation has a two story three sided bay window. Some doublehung windows have teardrop corners and leaded glass upper sash.

Detail for 4039 Whitman AVE / Parcel ID 1931300510 / Inv #

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: Cladding(s): Wood - Clapboard Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured Roof Type(s): Gable Roof Material(s): Asphalt/Composition Building Type: Domestic - Single Family Plan: Rectangular Structural System: Balloon Frame/Platform Frame No. of Stories: one & ½ Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture Integrity Changes to Windows: Intact Changes to Original Cladding: Intact Changes to Plan: Slight 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. City of Seattle. Seattle Inventory Field Form. 1979. Prosser, William F. A History of the Puget Sound Country. New York, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1903 Meany, Edmond S. Living Pioneers of Washington. Seattle, Seattle Genealogical Society, 1995. Historic Seattle Preservation and Development Authority. “Wallingford: An Inventory of Buildings and Urban Design Resources.” Seattle: Historic Seattle, 1975.

Photo collection for 4039 Whitman AVE / Parcel ID 1931300510 / Inv #

Photo taken Nov 23, 2004