| Historic Name: |
Oscar G. Heaton Residence |
Common Name: |
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| Style: |
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Neighborhood: |
Fremont |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1910 |
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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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The original home owner, Oscar G. Heaton (1869-1939), owned this land parcel from about 1907 and had the house built and owned it until at least 1920. According to press reports and the building permit (#90334) issued on 5-12-1910 the original design was based on plans prepared by architect H. Wooch (or possibly Worch). Information regarding Mr. Wooch has not been obtained; however, he is believed to have been a European architect, which may explain why he cannot be found in US Census records. The house was constructed at an anticipated cost of $3,750.00. A retaining wall was added under a permit issued 2-28-1911; it was built by H. Allison. Oscar G. Heaton was born in Iowa in 1869 and came to Washington State with his parents, George S. and Saphrona Heaton, in 1877. The family settled in Pomeroy, in Garfield County, where his father worked as a millwright. Oscar Heaton came to Seattle in 1890 to attend the University of Washington where he earned a law degree in 1894 and began practice here until a year before his death. The Polk’s Seattle City Directory (1907-08) identifies Heaton as “Lawyer & Real Estate” indicating that he may have been involved in other real estate development activity prior to the construction of the subject property. Mr. Heaton was married twice, and he had one child with Viola, his first wife, and two children with his second wife, Elma L. According to the current owners, Heaton apparently built this house for his second wife, Elma. The Heatons appear to have previously resided nearby at this same address and at 4212 Phinney Ave. N. Neighbors have reported that the upper floor level was originally used as a ballroom. In 1915, the Heatons (with contractors Jonah & Stewart) remodeled the residence, possibly converting it into a double flat (duplex). The Heatons remained living at 4202 Phinney Avenue through 1920 and subsequently lived at several other locations in Seattle. The last listing for them in the Polk’s Seattle City Directory is at an apartment in the University District in 1936. Mr. Heaton died in Seattle in May 1939 following a yearlong illness. Subsequent owners included Gilbert G. Marsden in the 1920s – who added a garage and terrace in 1924 and J.C. Petersen in the early 1930s. In 1932, J.C. Petersen (with contactor Fritz Anderson) converted the double-flat to a four-unit apartment building and added brick veneer cladding. From 1934 to 1942 Henry Roden owned the building, which was known as Roden Apartments during this period. Edward L. Stephens, a salesman for JHP Company, was the resident building manager in the late 1930s. Later owners included Archie Wyard [from 1942-1954], Alwin K. Stall, Donald and Juanita Graham, and J.M. Hamill during the 1950s and early 1960s. Robert and Nadine Pierce purchased the building in 1965, and Nadine Pierce sold it to the present owners [Mark and Eugenia Fairhart/Toni and Bob Leitner] in 1983. Sources: Toni and Bob Leitner; Oscar G. Heaton obituary, Seattle Times, May 8, 1939; Polk’s Seattle City Directories, 1900 – 1940; Washington Pioneer Index, Seattle Public Library; King County Property Record Card, Washington State Archives - Puget Sound Regional Archives, 1937 PRC.
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| Appearance |
| Prominently located at the NE corner of Phinney Avenue N. and N. 42nd Street with major elevations oriented to the west and to the south. Two story, brick veneer and wood-frame, original single-family residence constructed in 1910 that was converted to double-flat (duplex) in 1915 and to a 4-unit apartment building in 1932. Exhibits distinctive front-gable form with design elements/features drawn from Austrian Alpine or Swiss Chalet design precedents. Measures approx. 38’ x 46’ with concrete foundation and basement level. Exhibits distinctive brick and river-rock cladding: the brick veneer was added c.1932 and the original materials (probably stucco or variegated wood cladding) are not known. The building is noteworthy for its unusual Swiss Chalet architectural stylist features: low-pitched front gable form with wide overhangs and exposed roof brackets/purlins, multi-pane window sash members, variegated cladding including river rock. Light-colored sandstone brick and river-rock exterior cladding and river rock fireplace at one-story east wing. The gable end at the east elevation includes vertical board cladding with a decorative bottom edge and may be historic building fabric. Windows include some with tulip leaded glass panels on the west and north elevations and a large segmental arched leaded glass window on the south elevation. Some steel casement sash intermixed with wood double-hung windows. The SW corner recessed entry porch was partially enclosed and the entrance door relocated sometime after 1938. A second projecting entry porch is located at the east end of the south elevation; it is covered by a segmental arched canopy and includes an entry door with sidelights. An open recessed porch at second floor level of the north side of the gable-end elevation (west) was also enclosed sometime after 1938. Given the vertical column-like placement of the river rock at both the face of the west elevation and at the line of the recessed porch and that the delineation of the house footprint on the Sanborn map (1919) shows a full 2-story porch, it appears that the entire west end of the house originally included an open two-story porch with rock pillars. The east elevation includes an exit stairway from the second floor level. This building was indentified in two prior historic resources survey/inventory efforts during the 1970s (by Historic Seattle and the City of Seattle). The Historic Seattle survey noted the building as having significance to the city. Current owners have upgraded the interiors of all the units, including painting, refinishing the original oak floors, sandblasting the river rock fireplace in one unit, adding new linoleum in the kitchens, providing new electrical power, and reconstructing the original leaded glass windows. They also rebuilt the garage and, with the assistance of the tenants, and renovated the landscape. The river-rock fireplace in one unit has a heart with the date (June 24, 1916) carved into it. |
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