Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 2018 2nd AVE / Parcel ID 0809002425 / Inv #

Historic Name: Curtis, John S. House Common Name: Curtis House Style: Vernacular Neighborhood: Queen Anne 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 Curtis House was constructed in 1904. During fall or early winter 1901-1902, John S. Curtis (b. ca 1877) arrived in Seattle. John Curtis married at about the time he moved to Seattle to Colorado native Celia Curtis (b. ca 1879). In January 1902 carpenter Curtis acquired some property on Queen Anne hill along 2nd Avenue N and built a small cottage (10’ x 20’) to live in. In November 1903, Curtis begins constructing a 24 x 31 foot 1 ½ story frame dwelling in front of their cottage. The building permit listed John Curtis as the architect and builder. There is no evidence that Curtis was an architect so he probably acquired building plans from house catalogs or plan books. The following spring Curtis completed the house and John and Celia moved into the larger residence just about the time their first born arrived. To go downtown to get supplies they caught the street car about two to three blocks from the house and rode it west along Blaine and south along Queen Anne Avenue towards Seattle. In 1913, the Curtis’ moved from the house to southeast Seattle. John Curtis continued doing carpentry work until leaving Seattle in 1915 but owned the house until the early 1920s. Later occupants and owners. In the late 1920s, salesman C. Fay and his wife Avis K. Hicks; by the late 1930s, driver Wesley E. and Marjorie E. Hurn; in 1940, widow Victoria Williams; in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Jacob H. and Pearl Joyce. Jacob Joyce worked as manager for Campbell’s Food Shop. By 1961 Jess A. Ramey, a janitor, and wife Pearl occupied the house. In 1972 Robert Boyd purchased the house. This is the only saltbox gable roof residence built prior to 1906 that was inventoried. The residence appears to meet City of Seattle Landmark criteria due to the age of the structure (over 100 years old) and minimal alterations. Variant address. In the 1905 Sanborn Atlas of Seattle and the 1906 Seattle Polk Directory the house address was 2016 2nd Ave N.   Appearance On November 6, 1903 the Seattle Building Department issued a permit to carpenter John S. Curtis for a one and a half story 21 x 31 1/2 foot residence (# 23859). At the end of the 90 day permit period the Curtis House was not finished so the building department extended the permit to April 23, 1904. The residence has a saltbox front and gable wing roof. This is the only saltbox form discovered in the pre 1906 Early Seattle Building survey. The east elevation with the saltbox end has a porch with saltbox roof that is a reversal of the house roof. The porch roof is supported by tapered square posts. The second floor of the east elevation has a three sided bay window with a single double hung window. Some windows are altered in their original surrounds.

Detail for 2018 2nd AVE / Parcel ID 0809002425 / Inv #

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: Cladding(s): Shingle, Wood - Clapboard Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured Roof Type(s): Gable, Other 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 Original Cladding: Intact Changes to Plan: Intact Changes to Windows: Moderate 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. Sanborn Map Company. Insurance Maps of Seattle, Washington. (New York, Sanborn Map Company, 1904-1905) 4 volumes. Sanborn Map Company. Insurance Maps of Seattle, Washington. (New York, Sanborn Map Company, 1916-1919) volumes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6. Sanborn Map Company. Insurance Maps of Seattle, Washington. (New York, Sanborn Map Company, 1949-1950 update) 11 volumes. Seattle Daily Bulletin

Photo collection for 2018 2nd AVE / Parcel ID 0809002425 / Inv #

Photo taken Dec 23, 2004