Summary for 756 N 76th ST N / Parcel ID 3797001830 / Inv # |
Historic Name: |
Harm, C. House |
Common Name: |
Harm House |
Style: |
American Foursquare |
Neighborhood: |
Green Lake |
Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1905 |
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Significance |
In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance. |
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The Harm House was constructed in 1905. By 1902, Charles Harm (b. ca 1857) settled in the Green Lake neighborhood of Seattle and opened a grocery store. At 19 years of age, German born Charles Harm immigrated to the United States and twelve years later, in 1888, married Augusta Harm (b. ca 1870). The Harms lived in South Dakota during most of the 1890s before heading west for Seattle. Harm had the house built during late fall and winter of 1904-1905. A few months after he moved into his new house he got out of the grocery business. Early in the 20th century grocery competition was tough. The 1905 city directory lists more than 400 grocery stores in Seattle and Ballard compared to 250 grocery stores and mini marts listed in the 2003 Seattle phone book.
After leaving the grocery business, Harm worked various jobs including solicitor, janitor, paperhanger, and painter. It was common during this period for adult children to live with their parents. Daughter Clara walked three blocks to Woodland Park Ave N to ride the Green Lake trolley initially to clerk at the MacDougall & Southwick department store and later as stenographer for patent attorneys Adams & Brooks. Another daughter, Millie, took the same streetcar downtown to cashier at Frederick and Nelson department store. After the 1936 death of Charles Harm, widow Clara remained in the house for twenty more years and managed a nearby apartment house. The Harm family occupied the house for more than 50 years.
Carpenter Frank D. Specht (b. ca 1868) likely built the house, although Charles Harm, who was a painter and paperhanger, might have done some finish work on the house. Specht born in Ohio to German immigrants moved to Washington no later than 1890 and to Seattle by 1901. Specht probably used his own plans for this vernacular house because the November 1, 1904 building permit for the house lists him as architect and builder. During the entire booming first decade of the 20th century Specht lived in and likely conducted his trade in the Green Lake neighborhood. It was easy finding construction work during this ten year span when the city tripled in population adding 160,000 residents. Specht left town in 1910 about the time the building boom ended.
Later occupants. By the time of the 1962 Seattle Worlds Fair salesman John D. and wife Clara A. Fenolia lived in the house.
The residence appears to meet City of Seattle Landmark criteria due to the age of the structure (about 100 years old) and minimal alterations.
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Appearance |
On November 1, 1904 the Seattle Building Department issued architect and builder F. D. Specht a building permit for two story residence to measure 28 x 32 feet (# 31075). Charles Harm had commissioned Specht to design and build the foursquare $1200. house. The building department gave Specht 90 days to complete the house so it was probably finished in early 2005. The west elevation has a two story porch with the open first floor with heavy square posts supporting an enclosed second floor porch with an hip roof. The second floor may have been added in the 1920s or 1930s. The first floor east elevation has a curved bay window. A two story shed addition with a shed roof was added to the east elevation. The house is reclad. The building is sited on a corner lot. |
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Detail for 756 N 76th ST N / Parcel ID 3797001830 / Inv # |
Status: |
Yes - Inventory |
Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
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Cladding(s): |
Shingle |
Foundation(s): |
Concrete - Block |
Roof Type(s): |
Hip |
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 |
Changes to Windows: |
Slight |
Changes to Plan: |
Slight |
Changes to Original Cladding: |
Extensive |
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Major Bibliographic References |
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, 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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Photo collection for 756 N 76th ST N / Parcel ID 3797001830 / Inv # |

Photo taken Nov 23, 2004
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