Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 4034 Whitman AVE / Parcel ID 1931300230 / Inv #

Historic Name: Common Name: Style: Arts & Crafts - Craftsman Neighborhood: Wallingford Built By: Year Built: 1921   Significance This house was erected 1921. It was designed and built by the Carlson Brothers (119 Boren Avenue N.) for owner Carl H. Elander (a driver in 1921, and late a clerk) whose address is listed as 1011 Virginia Street on the permit application completed by David Carlson. Elander and his wife do not appear to have lived at 4034 Whitman A garage was located in basement in according to the King Coty Property Record Card prepared by the Assessor in 1937. The property was owned at the time by Reginald LeBrun who is listed at this address in Polk’s Seattle Directory for 1938. Later owners appear to have included Terry Mosler in the 1980s. The current owners purchased the property from Hsiao-Lung Ho in 1993 Except for the back end, this structure is nearly intact and has been fairly well maintained. It is significant as a typical example of small craftsman bungalow work completed in the early years of Seattle’s second north end building boom.   Appearance This is a 1-1/2 story, clapboard and shingle clad frame residence on a concrete foundation over a full basement. The moderate slope of the front gabled roof, the wide bargeboards supported by groups of decorative roof purlin extensions, the unenclosed undersides of the soffits, the numerous bungalow windows and the detailing of the porch are all typical elements of craftsman design. A gable-roofed porch extends toward the street form the north end of the west (front) elevation. It is supported at its outside corners by square posts bearing on capped masonry pedestals. A third capped pedestal stands near the center of the porch’s western edge. The front stair enters between this pedestal and that at the southwest corner of the porch. Heavy wood railings extend from the front wall of the house to the corner porch pedestals and between the pedestals to the north of the entry stair. The front door is centered on the entry stair. A double-hung window north of the entry door opens onto the porch. If features an upper sash divided into a single row of five tall rectangular lights over an undivided lower sash. A similar window is centered in the wall to the south of the porch. A chimney is located near the west end of the north elevation. It is flanked by single sash windows mounted high in the wall, one to each side in typical bungalow manner. Each of the windows is divided into a single row of five tall rectangular lights. A wide bay is tucked under the eave and extends into the side yard from the north wall to the east of the chimney group. Four identical double-hung windows are ganged together and centered in the face of the bay. Each window has an upper sash divided into three rectangular lights over a larger undivided lower sash. A small double-hung unit, with five lights in the upper sash over an undivided lower sash, is located just tot he east of the bay. Two (perhaps three) small, divided, single sash windows light the basement. At the east end of the house, a hipped roofed addition (or enclosed porch) features a modern looking picture window at its north façade. The addition extends over a concrete apron that appears to provide access to the basement from a drive to the east of the house that approaches from N. 41st Street by a way of an easement behind the house immediately to the north. It is not clear if this drive provides access to a basement garage. T1-11 plywood siding extends the wall of the hipped roof component down to basement floor level and screens the east end of the basement itself. A single double-hung window similar to those at the west elevation is located near the west end of the south façade. A pair of double hung windows similar to those at the north bay are located near the east end. A small, undivided double-hung unit is located near the center of the elevation; it is flanked by two, small, undivided windows. A new basement window has been installed at the west end of the façade; two original basement windows light the basement from the middle and east end of the elevation. The south wall off the hipped roof addition appears to be set back slightly. A new slider type window is centered in this south wall. The front gables are clad with shingles; the body of the house is clad with clapboard siding. A trim band separates the two siding materials at the front gables. A new metal slider type window is centered in the main front gable. It is not clear when the hip-roofed component was added or remodeled at the east end of the structure; however, the windows appear to be fairly recent and the condition of the east end represents a significant modification. In addition, the entry stair appears to have been altered and attic skylights have been added. No other significant modifications are apparent.

Detail for 4034 Whitman AVE / Parcel ID 1931300230 / Inv #

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: Cladding(s): Shingle, Wood, Wood - Clapboard, Wood - T1-11 Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured Roof Type(s): Gable, Hip Roof Material(s): Asphalt/Composition-Shingle Building Type: Domestic - Single Family Plan: Rectangular Structural System: Balloon Frame/Platform Frame No. of Stories: one & ½ Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture, Community Planning/Development Integrity Changes to Original Cladding: Intact Changes to Plan: Moderate 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.

Photo collection for 4034 Whitman AVE / Parcel ID 1931300230 / Inv #

Photo taken Mar 10, 2004