Seattle.gov Home Page
Link to Seattle Department of Neighborhoods home page

Seattle Historical Sites

New Search

Summary for 2901 HARRIS PL / Parcel ID 3083001090 / Inv #

Historic Name: Common Name:
Style: Arts & Crafts - Craftsman Neighborhood: Beacon Hill
Built By: Year Built: 1923
 
Significance
In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance.
Built in 1923, this building was owned by W. H. Norman. In December of 1937, Pacific First Federal Savings and Loan purchased the building. The residence rented ca 1937 for $17 per month. By 1938 through 1940, Cecil T. Knight lived in the building. Merton Claar lived in the building by 1943. Irene E. Norman bought the building in April of 1951. Bonnie L. Browder lived in the building by 1955. Elmer Heilburn lived in the house by 1961, followed by Lake Barrett by 1968. 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.
 
Appearance
Built in 1923, this Craftsman-influenced, Arts & Crafts style, single-family bungalow stands on a rectangular corner lot. The building is oriented to Harris Place South on a flat site 5’ above street level. This 1019 square foot, single-story house with a full daylight basement features a rectangular plan, measuring approximately 26’ by 46’, with a 4’ by 5’ recessed front entrance and a 14’ by 6’ back porch. A poured concrete foundation supports the wood frame, shingle-clad superstructure. Asphalt composition roofing covers the cross gable roof. Broad open overhanging eaves and gables with exposed purlins, braces and prominent bargeboards define the roofline. Wood sash multiple-pane windows provide day lighting. An external brick chimney services the building. This building is a good example of a Craftsman bungalow within the Beacon Hill neighborhood.

Detail for 2901 HARRIS PL / Parcel ID 3083001090 / Inv #

Status: Yes - Inventory
Classication: Building District Status:
Cladding(s): Shingle Foundation(s):
Roof Type(s): Gable Roof Material(s): Asphalt/Composition
Building Type: Domestic - Single Family Plan: Rectangular
Structural System: Balloon Frame/Platform Frame No. of Stories: one
Unit Theme(s):
Integrity
Changes to Original Cladding: Intact
Changes to Windows: Intact
Changes to Plan: Slight
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.
City of Seattle. Survey of City-Owned Historic Resources. Prepared by Cathy Wickwire, Seattle, 2001. Forms for Ravenna Park structures.
Tobin, Caroline. (2004) "Beacon Hill Historic Context Statement."

Photo collection for 2901 HARRIS PL / Parcel ID 3083001090 / Inv #


Photo taken Oct 31, 2003

Photo taken Oct 31, 2003

Photo taken Oct 31, 2003

Photo taken
App v2.0.1.0