| Historic Name: |
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Common Name: |
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| Style: |
American Foursquare |
Neighborhood: |
Beacon Hill |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1904 |
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| Significance |
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Built in 1904, this building was purchased by Anna C. Nelson in January of 1930. Mrs. Nelson worked as a clerk for the Pacific Steam Ship Company. By 1938, Paul C. Taylor resided at 1737, and Mrs. Gertrude M. Heltsley resided at 1739. By 1943, Lillian E. Taylor lived in 1737 and John S. Umbenhour lived in 1739. By 1953, Lulu Donahue, Marlys Gunderson and Harry W. Holmes lived in the building. By 1955, Cloe L. Barnette lived in the building. In June of 1958, Edmund A. Wiese bought the residence for $15,000 and remained in the building through 1968. Mr. Wiese worked as a building contractor. By 1968, Bob Adams and Michael Thiessen also lived in the building.
Beacon Hill is a long north-south tending ridge located southeast of downtown Seattle and stands 350 feet at its highest point. The hill’s steep topography deterred substantial Euro-American settlement through the early 1880s. Then, development of the area was stimulated by the introduction of streetcar lines in the 1890s, its proximity to Seattle’s main industrial area to the west, and the regrading of the hill’s north end in the early 1900s.
Originally acquired by the City in 1898, Jefferson Park was integrated into Seattle’s Olmsted system of parks, and the Olmsted Brothers prepared a plan for the park in 1912. The first public golf course west of the Mississippi opened at Jefferson Park in 1915. Jefferson Park has exerted a profound positive influence on the development of the Beacon Hill neighborhood.
Because of its proximity to the International District, Japanese and Chinese families moved to Beacon Hill starting in the 1920s. World War I and II stimulated a surge in housing development associated with wartime industry. The construction of Interstate 5 in the 1960s and Interstate 90 in the 1980s sliced through the neighborhoods and contributed to Beacon Hill’s relative isolation. Today, Beacon Hill is an ethnically diverse working class community, which has a mixed Asian, Chicano, African American, and Caucasian population.
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| Appearance |
| Old multi-family. Shingles probably later alteration. Interesting combination of 2 foursquare forms to make a multifamily. Windows have aluminum storms, probably intact underneath. Original doors. |
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| Status: |
Yes - Inventory |
| Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
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| Cladding(s): |
Shingle, Shingle - Concrete/Asbestos |
Foundation(s): |
Unknown |
| Roof Type(s): |
Hip |
Roof Material(s): |
Asphalt/Composition |
| Building Type: |
Domestic - Multiple Family |
Plan: |
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| Structural System: |
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No. of Stories: |
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| Unit Theme(s): |
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| Integrity |
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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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City of Seattle. Survey of City-Owned Historic Resources. Prepared by Cathy Wickwire, Seattle, 2001. Forms for Ravenna Park structures.
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Tobin, Caroline. (2004) "Beacon Hill Historic Context Statement."
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