| Historic Name: |
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Common Name: |
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| Style: |
American Foursquare - Prairie |
Neighborhood: |
Wallingford |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1910 |
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| Significance |
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This house was erected as a two-story residence in 1910. It was designed and built by Otto L. Haberbush, a building contractor who listed his home address, 713 N. 75th Street, as his contact address on the permit application. The owner of the property was Walter Huntington of Kelso, Washington, who appears to have had the house built for his own use. Another permit, now missing, was issued in 1914. The purpose and effect of this permit are unknown.
Huntington and his wife Anna were residing at 3921 Densmore by 1913. Huntington’s occupation is listed as “farmer” in Polk’s Seattle Directory for that year; however, there is no indication of Huntington’s occupation in the listings for 1916 and 1917. Huntington and his wife are apparently no longer at this address by 1918.
Five apparently unrelated individuals are listed as residents of the structure in the reverse city directory first published by Polk in 1938, suggesting that the structure had been converted to multifamily housing by that date; however, the use of this building as a five-unit apartment building was not established in the public record until 1986. Letters submitted to the building official between 1984 and 1986 established that the building had been functioning as a five-unit apartment building since 1915.
The assessor’s record indicates that a garage existed at the site by the early 1960s. There is no other record to indicate the date of construction or the names of the individuals connected with its construction. The existing garage/carport structure appears to have been built in two parts.
This structure is of interest as an intact and fairly well maintained example of foursquare prairie design with minor Italianate elements. It is also significant as an early apartment building conversion project in a neighborhood that generally consisted of single-family residences. Folke Nyberg and Victor Steinbrueck identified this building as a structure of significance to the Wallingford community in "Wallingford: An Inventory of Buildings and Urban Design Resources."
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| Appearance |
| This is a two story, clapboard-clad frame apartment building on a concrete foundation over a full basement. The formality of the street facade initially gives the building a neo-classical flavor; however, the structure’s detailing suggests a design based on craftsman or prairie style models. Most of the windows are double-hung units; however, neither the upper not the lower sash of any of these units is divided. The broad overhang of the hipped main roof appears to be supported by three groups of three tightly spaced purlin extensions, one at each end of each elevation, and one at the center.
The entry door and sidelights are centered and set into the face of the building a short distance. A hip-roofed porch projects toward the street from the center of the east (front) elevation. Its detailing combines elements of craftsman, prairie and Italianate design.
Two identical windows groups are situated either side of the entry porch at the main level. Each group consists of a wide double-hung unit flanked by two narrower double-hung units. The upper sash of each window is slightly smaller than the associated lower sash. At the upper level, above each of the three-window groups, is a set of two, wide double-hung windows. The upper sash of each of these units is the same size as the lower sash. The main level and upper level groups are of equal width despite the difference in their respective configurations. A small rectangular window surmounted by a semi-circular unit is centered over the entry porch.
Chimneys penetrate the overhang at the easternmost third points of the north and south elevations. A rectangular hip-roofed bay projects to the south from the west end of the south elevation. It features an assembly of three windows similar to the three-window groups at the front of the structure. A large double hung window is located between the bay and the chimney. At the upper level, large solitary double-hung windows are located near the east and west ends of the elevation. A smaller double-hung unit is located near the middle of the structure west of the chimney. The upper level at the north elevation is similar but not identical in arrangement. A fixed window is located just east of the chimney near the front of the house at the lower level. West of the chimney are two additional solitary double-hung windows of unequal size.
The west (back) elevation of the building cannot be observed from the street.
A stuccoed, one-car garage is located behind the building at the northwest corner of the site. It appears a carport addition, extending to the south, was added several years after the garage’s initial construction.
Unattractive corrugated metal siding material has been added to the soffits at the main building. The brick chimneys have been painted to match the field color of the structure. The interior of the structure was not surveyed by the field recorder who prepared this database entry; however, the history of the building suggests that substantial interior alterations have been undertaken. No other significant modifications are apparent. |
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