| Historic Name: |
Cline, A. C. House |
Common Name: |
Cline House |
| Style: |
Colonial - Colonial Revival |
Neighborhood: |
Queen Anne |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1904 |
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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 Cline House was constructed in 1904. Albert C. Cline (b. 1858), born in Indiana, moved to Minnesota by 1888, married a local woman, Hannah Cline (b. ca 1868), and started a family. Eleven years later, with three sons and one daughter, the couple left Minnesota for Seattle and Albert Cline opened Cline’s Piano House. By 1904, Cline sold enough pianos to finance the building of a “fine Colonial house” on the south side of Queen Anne Hill. By the end of 1904, the Clines moved in with their four children, ages 9 to 16 and probably a servant. In 1910, a 25-year old servant named Rose Chrystal resided in the house. Albert Cline continued operating the piano house until his death about 1911. The commute to work was easy. He would walk one block to Queen Anne Avenue to catch a streetcar that would run downtown to his store. After his death, Hannah Cline and some of her children continued to live in the house through World War I.
Cline hired architects Kerr & Rogers and builder Otto L. Haberbush to design and build the house.
KERR & ROGERS: Robert C. Kerr (b. 1864), born in Scotland, in 1892 crossed the Atlantic to America. Ten years later found him in Seattle working for architecture firm Bebb & Mendel as a draughtsman. In 1901, Minnesota native Roy D. Rogers (b. 1876) arrived in Seattle and the following year Bebb & Mendel hired architect Rogers. The two men apparently became friends and decided to form their own firm. In 1902, they formed Kerr & Rogers, architects, a partnership that lasted five years. After their 1908 dissolution, Kerr practiced in Seattle until 1911 and Rogers practiced until 1934.
HABERBUSH, OTTO L.: Builder Otto L. Haberbush (b. ca 1862), born in Iowa to German immigrants, 30 years later, married and settled in Montana. After enduring at least 11 Montana winters and hearing of good job opportunities in Seattle, in 1904 the Haberbushs and their seven children moved to the Green Lake neighborhood. The Cline House is one of the earliest construction projects for Harberbush who, until 1920, would continue building Seattle homes. Harberbush started the house foundation in mid August and by the end of September began framing the house. The Seattle Building Department allowed three months to construct the house, so Harberbush probably completed the house by the end of 1904 although work might have continued into early 1905.
Later occupants and owners. In the late 1920s and 1930s G. H. and Frances Leghorn resided in the house. G. H. served as President of the Morgan Cigar Company. By 1942, physician Gordon R. Dempsay and wife Mildred M. resided in the house. The following year Flavius and Florence West resided there. Flavius worked for Standard Oil as special representative. In 1948, after the Wests moved out, Emil A. Hacker resided in the house. Hacker worked for the Boeing Aircraft Company and also operated the Herron Club in the house. The Herron Club was the name given to the rooms that were rented in the residence. By 1954, John M. Brockmeyer, who also worked for Boeing, managed the Herron Club there. Gerald G. Smith, a Boeing engineer, watched the 1962 construction of the Space Needle from the house’s bedroom windows.
The 1975 Historic Seattle Survey of the Queen Anne neighborhood identified the "Kline House" as Significant to the City.
This Colonial Revival house is an early design by Kerr & Rogers. The residence appears to meet City of Seattle Landmark criteria due to the architects, age of the structure (over 100 years old), and minimal alterations.
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| Appearance |
| On August 16, 1904 A. C. Cline received a building permit to build a foundation for a 43 x 38 foot 2-story plus attic and basement residence (# 29250). Six weeks later contractor O. L. Haberbush started construction on the Colonial Revival house designed by Kerr & Rogers (permit # 30296). According to the permits the building cost was estimated at $8,600.
The magnificant main entry is located in the center of the south elevation. It has a two pair of 2-story tall Corinthian columns supporting a large third story balcony that has an extensive railing and eave brackets. Inside the two story columns is a second story balcony supported by smaller single Corinthian columns. Two story tall Corinthian pilasters are located on the southeast and southwest building corners. Second floor double hung windows have decorative upper sash which is the same design on the second story balcony doors.
The 1905 and 1917 Sanborn maps show different footprints for the Cline House. The mass of the structure is the same but some of the locations of the porches and bay windows are different. The south elevation porch is significantly different in the two maps. I was unable to locate any building permits for the Cline House during this period. The building was owned by the Clines for the 12 year period. It is my judgement that no significant exterior alterations occurred during this time and the 1905 Sanborn footprint of the Cline House was drawn in error. |
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| Status: |
Yes - Inventory |
| Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
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| Cladding(s): |
Wood - Clapboard |
Foundation(s): |
Concrete - Poured |
| Roof Type(s): |
Gable |
Roof Material(s): |
Asphalt/Composition |
| Building Type: |
Domestic - Single Family |
Plan: |
Irregular |
| Structural System: |
Balloon Frame/Platform Frame |
No. of Stories: |
two |
| Unit Theme(s): |
Architecture/Landscape Architecture |
| Integrity |
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Changes to Original Cladding: |
Intact |
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Changes to Windows: |
Intact |
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Changes to Plan: |
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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Sanborn Map Company. Insurance Maps of Seattle, Washington. (New York, Sanborn Map Company, 1904-1905) 4 volumes.
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Sanborn Map Company. Insurance Maps of Seattle, Washington. (New York, Sanborn Map Company, 1916-1919) volumes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6.
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Sanborn Map Company. Insurance Maps of Seattle, Washington. (New York, Sanborn Map Company, 1949-1950 update) 11 volumes.
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Seattle Daily Bulletin
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