| Historic Name: |
Douglass, E. House |
Common Name: |
Douglass/Hofreiter House |
| Style: |
American Foursquare |
Neighborhood: |
Queen Anne |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1905 |
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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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Douglass/Hofreiter House constructed in 1905. On June 21, 1905 building contractor and likely architect Ely Douglass procured a building permit for a two story residence at 108 Hayes Street. Ten weeks earlier Douglass and Son started construction on the house next door at 1702 1st Avenue N. Ely Douglass and his son James built many ‘spec houses’ in the Queen Anne neighborhood. Ely Douglass (b. ca 1856) born in Massachusetts to a French Canadian mother, by his mid 20s resided in Illinois and married Carrie (b. 1859) born to French Canadian parents. By 1904 they headed west and settled in Seattle with most of their children. Ely Douglass, with his eldest son, James immediately established a business together. Until 1910 Douglass and Son designed and built a number of Queen Anne neighborhood houses on speculation; acquiring land, building residences, and selling them. They also were available for hire to both design and build residences. James Douglass then took over the business and ran it into the 1920s. In 1909 James Douglass went on his own for a short time when he developed and started producing the Douglass Wall Bed, which apparently ceased production within a year.
Ely Douglass finished the house on Hayes by the end of summer 1905 and his family moved in lived there for about two years. The family included Ely and Carrie and two daughters and a son ages 11, 12, and 14.
In late 1907 or early 1908, Douglas sold to the Hofreiter family. Born and raised in New York by German immigrants, Fred Hofreiter (b. ca 1868) in about 1896 married New York native Anna Hofreiter (b. ca 1876). In 1901, after living in Pennsylvania for a year or two, the couple with their two daughters headed west to Seattle. Hofreiter first tried the commission business, wholesaling butter and eggs, and then started a restaurant. He started out at 1st Ave and Pike Street, but after a year, he decided to move his restaurant to Pioneer Square at 2nd Ave S near Main Street. By 1908, with a newborn increasing the family size to five and since the restaurant business was going well, the Hofreiters purchased 108 Hayes from Douglass. The Hofreiter family included Fred, Anna, and three daughters Mary (b. ca 1898), Grace (b. ca 1898), and baby Lucile (b. ca 1907).
Since the house was just a block away from that streetcar that ran downtown via Queen Anne Avenue it was an easy commute to Hofreiter’s restaurant. After Fred Hofreiter died about 1912, widow Anna continued to live in the house for three more years. Daughter Mary Hofreiter inherited the house and owned it until at least 1937, apparently using it for a rental.
Later occupants. The house had numerous occupants; 1928 physician Dr. Abraham and Jessie B. Poska; ten years later salesman Bernard O. and Madeline Velguth; during WWII employee for Pacific Telegraph and Telephone Wyndham G. and Teresa Morris; in the late 1940s Veterans Administration clerk Mrs. Clemma Dunn and Alister B. and Clara B. Mahon; by 1954 carpenter Rush W. and Goldie Emmons; and during the 1962 Seattle Worlds Fair Joseph W. and Martha Pomerville. Joseph Pomerville worked for Seattle Engineering Department as a laborer.
This house is one of the earliest Seattle Box or Classic Box foursquare homes located in the pre 1906 survey of Seattle residences. The residence appears to meet City of Seattle Landmark criteria due to the age of the structure (over 100 years old) and minimal alterations.
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| Appearance |
| On June 21, 1905 E. Douglass procured a building permit for a 26 x 36 foot Classic Box foursquare residence (# 35611). He likely completed the Douglass/Hofreiter House by late summer or early fall 1905. Classic box features include hip roof, hip dormer on south elevation, bracketted eaves, corner box windows on the southest and southwest corners with brackets along base, recessed porch with a square post on south elevation, double hung windows with leaded glass upper sash. The west elevation has a boxed bay window. On the second floor of the south elevation is a small balcony that extends out with a balustrade. The east elevation has an exterior chimney that was added after the house was completed. There is also a carport addition to the house that can be easily detached. |
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| Status: |
Yes - Inventory |
| Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
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| Cladding(s): |
Shingle, Wood - Clapboard |
Foundation(s): |
Concrete - Poured |
| Roof Type(s): |
Hip |
Roof Material(s): |
Asphalt/Composition |
| Building Type: |
Domestic - Single Family |
Plan: |
Rectangular |
| Structural System: |
Balloon Frame/Platform Frame |
No. of Stories: |
two |
| Unit Theme(s): |
Architecture/Landscape Architecture |
| Integrity |
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Changes to Windows: |
Intact |
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Changes to Original Cladding: |
Intact |
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Changes to Plan: |
Moderate |
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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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