Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 4231 GREENWOOD AVE / Parcel ID 6610001040 / Inv # 0

Historic Name: Albert W. Tallman House Common Name: Style: Arts & Crafts - Craftsman Neighborhood: Fremont Built By: Year Built: 1911   Significance This house is a distinctive and intact example of Craftsman – Arts & Crafts style design and was certainly derived from a very popular planbook source; the 1911 permit records indicate that the architect was Victor W. Voorhees the Seattle architect/author of the popular Western Home Builder planbook first published c.1907. It is located in Palatine Hill Addition, which was platted in July 1888, and was constructed during an intense period of historic residential development in the district. According to Permit # 103689 (dated 6/7/1911), this house was constructed for $1,800.00 by Albert W. Tallman a Iowa- born house carpenter who appears to have been a speculative developer of homes working in tandem with his son, Elvin A. Tallman, who was a plumber. The original owner and residents of the house have not been identified. Victor W. Voorhees was one of the most successful local architects to promote standardized drawings and specifications for direct sale to potential home owners and home builders. In early 1907, he advertised plans, specifications and details for a "Modern Bungalow" for $25.00; the customer was also invited to "send 50¢ in silver" for his book of “house, cottage and Bungalow” plans. His plan book Western Home Builder was first published in c.1907; it was so popular that by 1911 it was issued in an expanded sixth edition. Western Home Builder included 125 house plans that ranged widely in size, style and construction cost. Many of these published designs can be easily identified in present-day neighborhoods throughout Seattle. The earliest editions of the Western Home Builder featured photographs and plans of more traditional turn-of-the-century houses previously designed by Voorhees; the later editions included evocative sketches of popular Craftsman – Arts & Crafts style designs. The subject house is very similar to Design No. 172 a low-pitch hipped roof Craftsman style house illustrated with a sketch. It exhibits a very similar roof/dormer form and the fenestration pattern, porch configuration and the placement of the entry vestibule, square bay window and fireplace are essentially the same as Design No. 172. The house at 3840 Linden Avenue is also a V.W. Voorhees design; it is an original independent design that was subsequently illustrated and sold as a standard plan via Voorhees planbooks.   Appearance [Palatine Hill Add] Located mid-block with front elevation oriented to the east. One story, wood-frame, single family residence. Modest Craftsman – Arts & Crafts style design. Very well preserved. Measures approx. 28’ x 46’ w/ concrete foundation and partial basement level. Low-pitched hipped roof cottage with full width cutaway porch under main roof. Hipped gable dormer with three-part window unit dominates main elevation. Clad with shingle siding similar to historic cladding materials. Original double-hung wooden windows appear to remain in place. Original exposed rounded rafter ends remain intact and well preserved at roof soffits. Original Craftsman style entry door with distinctive sidelights remains in place. Original brick chimney and fireplace at north elevation. Original square bay window at north elevation. Porch guardrail elements appear to be non-historic; original spindle rail no longer in place. Roof non-historic composition shingle. The character and condition of the interior is not known.

Detail for 4231 GREENWOOD AVE / Parcel ID 6610001040 / Inv # 0

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: Cladding(s): Shingle Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured Roof Type(s): Hip Roof Material(s): Asphalt/Composition-Shingle Building Type: Domestic - Single Family Plan: Rectangular Structural System: Balloon Frame/Platform Frame No. of Stories: one Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture Integrity Changes to Plan: Intact Changes to Windows: Intact Changes to Original Cladding: Intact Changes to Interior: Unknown Major Bibliographic References U.S. Census Records (1880-1920) Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890-1996. Voorhees, V.W. Western Home Builder. Sixth Edition. Seattle: 1907. King County Tax Assessor Records, ca. 1932-1972. City of Seattle DPD Microfilm Records.

Photo collection for 4231 GREENWOOD AVE / Parcel ID 6610001040 / Inv # 0

Photo taken Apr 15, 2009 Photo taken Apr 17, 2009