| Historic Name: |
Jorgen H. & Lulu Clausen House |
Common Name: |
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| Style: |
Arts & Crafts - Craftsman |
Neighborhood: |
Fremont |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1925 |
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| Significance |
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This house is a distinctive and intact example of Craftsman – Arts & Crafts style design and was certainly derived from a popular planbook source; the character and condition of the interior is not known. It is located in Motor Line Addition, which was platted in June 1888, and was constructed in 1925 during the later period of historic residential development in the district. According to Permit # 242226 (dated 2/25/1925), this house was constructed for $3,000.00 for Jorgen H. Clausen who was identified as the owner, then living nearby at 4320 Evanston Ave. N. Thomas C. Clausen signed the permit application and appears to have constructed the house. At the time of construction, Jorgen and Peter Clausen were the proprietors of the Standard Monument Co., located at 3520 Fremont Avenue. Thomas, Peter and Jorgen were all German-born with Danish heritage and appear to have been related; either as brothers or cousins. Thomas Clausen was born ca.1870 and immigrated to the US in 1896; he became a house carpenter and building contractor. He was listed in the Polk’s Directory (1907) as a carpenter residing at 3843 Aurora Ave. He continued to be identified as a carpenter and building contractor through the 1920’s residing at various addresses in Fremont until 1926, when he was living in Magnolia. Peter Clausen was born ca.1882 and immigrated to the US in 1898; he was identified in the US Census (1900) as a “stone cutter” residing in the Fremont area and possibly living with a sister (Katrina Larsen) who had immigrated in 1880. He appears to have worked for the New England Marble & Granite Company, which had a stone works at 115 Ewing (N. 34th) St. and for Puget Sound Marble & Granite (possibly the same entity) prior to joining the Standard Monument Co. He was listed in the Polk’s Directory (1905) as a stone cutter residing at 3626 Woodland Park Avenue. He continued to live at this same address for many years; initially in an older home that was removed in 1926-27 when Thomas Clausen constructed a new brick residence for him on that property. Peter Clausen and his wife Grace continued to reside there; he died in the mid-1940s and she lived there until 1972. Jorgen H. Clausen was born ca.1887 and immigrated to the US in 1904; he may have originally worked as a sailor on a government survey boat but appears to have joined with Peter to form the monument company ca.1915, which was well established by 1925 when the subject property was purchased (2/13/1925) and this house was built. The Standard Monument Co. was first listed in the Polk’s Directory (1916) with office and shop at 123 N.77th in Ballard – this appears to have also been Jorgen and Lulu Clausen’s residence. By 1918, the company had moved to 3520 Fremont Avenue; it continued in business there until ca.1944. The subject house appears to have been Jorgen and Lulu Clausen’s personal residence for several years until 1943-44 when Jorgen became superintendent of Mt. Pleasant Cemetery and they moved to Queen Anne Hill. A 1912 article published in the Seattle Post Intelligencer (“Residence Building Active Now Throughout Fremont District” 2/25/1912) referred to a nearby residence owned by “Claussen Bros. & Son” at 4318 Evanston; it has yet to be determined whether this may have been a residential construction business involving these individuals.
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| Appearance |
| Located at the SE corner of the intersection of Evanston Ave. N and North 44rd St. with façade oriented to the east. 1-1/2 story, wood-frame, single family residence. Measures approx. 36’ x 34’ w/ concrete foundation and basement. Side gable form with wide projecting gabled entry porch at north side. Distinguished by distinctive Craftsman style features: low roof pitch low side-gable roof form, wide accentuated barge boards and roof overhangs, kneebraces and prominent 6’ x 20’ off set entry porch w/tapered porch columns. Prominent square bay window located at south elevation. Prominent gabled dormer located at south end of main roof gable. Original or in-kind replacement horizontal (rustic) siding. Original and/or matching double-hung and Craftsman-style wooden windows including one-over-three cottage type windows with ornate transom lights located at the west and south elevations. The original entry porch and stoop exhibited a variegated brick treatment; the brick appears to have been either removed or painted. Design of this house appears to be from a popular planbook source. |
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