| Historic Name: |
Edward A. & Betsy Jacobsen House |
Common Name: |
|
| Style: |
|
Neighborhood: |
Fremont |
| Built By: |
|
Year Built: |
1904 |
| |
| Significance |
|
In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance. |
|
|
This house is a distinctive and intact example of popular turn-of –the –century residential design and is directly associated with a very popular planbook source; the popular Western Home Builder planbook first published by architect Victor W. Voorhees c.1907. This house appears to be an early original V.W. Voorhees design; it may in fact be an original independent design that was subsequently illustrated and sold as a standard plan via Voorhees very popularly used planbooks. It is located in Denny & Hoyt’s Addition, one of the earliest platted and developed residential areas in Fremont. Edward Blewett was a wealthy businessman from Fremont, Nebraska who decided to invest in undeveloped land at the northwest corner of Lake Union. On March 20, 1888, Blewett and his wife Carrie purchased the town site for $55,000 under a mortgage held by John P. Hoyt. With the help of their agent, Luther H. Griffith (also of Fremont, Nebraska) and their attorney Edward C. Kilbourne, the Blewetts prepared a plat for the area. This plat, known as Denny & Hoyt's Addition, was approved by King County on May 8, 1888. The subject house was constructed in 1904 during an intense period of historic residential development in the district. The original building permit has not been located. According to King County tax rolls this land parcel was owned by Edward Jacobsen prior to 1895; however there were not improvements made to it until 1904 when this house was built for the Jacobsen family. The 1905 tax roll indicates that the improvement value was equal to $1,100. Edward Jacobsen was born in Norway ca.1865 and migrated with his wife Betsy to Seattle from Grand Forks, North Dakota ca. 1888. Mr. Jacobsen was an ironer and polisher for the Cascade Laundry Co., which was located on Ewing Avenue (N. 34th St.) adjacent to the Goddard Bros. Foundry and Iron Works (The laundry also had a plant at Third Avenue S. and S. Main St.). The Cascade Laundry Co. was owned by Corliss P. Stone (Pres./Tres.), Frank H. Kilbourne (VP/manager) and Charles A. Kilbourne (Sec); all of whom played a role in the development of the Fremont district during this era. A one-story, four-room cottage was constructed to the east of the house, adjacent to the alley, in 1912. In 1916, a 10’ x 14’ garage was constructed to the SE side of the house. Permit records indicate that it was a “Factribilt Portable Garage” constructed by the Take Down Manufacturing Company, one of several enterprises established by Jud Yoho – notorious as a successful promoter of Bungalow planbooks and speculative and custom house construction. By 1915 he was promoting pre-fabricated garages and publishing various garage plans for sale and construction. Mrs. Jacobsen died in 1919 (obit. Seattle PI, 5/8/1919, pg.16); however Mr. Jacobsen and his son Albert continued to reside there. According to property records A.E. Jacobsen – presumably their son Albert – became the owner of the property 9-15-1930 possibly upon the death of his father. Members of the Jacobsen family (Emily P. Jacobsen) appear to have continued to reside here and retained ownership of the property until 1979. Reportedly, the family retained copies of the original architectural plans for the house. 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 for 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 exactly the same as Design #5, which is illustrated with a photograph in c.1910 and c.1911 editions of Western Home Builder. The angle of the photograph shows the adjacent sidewalks and site topography, which as very similar to the site of this house. Victor Voorhees is known to have established an office in Ballard in 1904 and his earliest known commercial and residential commissions were constructed in Ballard. Given the reported 1904 date of construction, the long ownership by the Jacobsen family and its proximity to other early residences in Ballard that were also illustrated in Western Home Builder, it appears that this house and its design were illustrated and sold as a standard plan included in Western Home Builder. It is likely that other extant examples of house constructed according to this plan can be found in Seattle and elsewhere in the region and/or nation.
|
|
| |
| Appearance |
| Located at the SE corner of the intersection of Linden Avenue and N. 39th St. with front elevation oriented to the east. Site is kitty-corner to the SE of B.F. Day School. Two and one-half story, wood-frame, single family residence. Modest late Queen Anne style design. In deteriorated but intact condition. Measures approx. 26’ x 40’ with concrete foundation and full basement level. High-pitched side-gable roof form with full width cutaway porch under extended main roof form. Prominent pedimented front-gable dormer with polygonal window unit. Porch and dormer dominates main elevation. Clad with variegated siding materials: original cedar shingles (upper floor levels) and rustic horizontal siding (main floor level). Original double-hung wooden windows appear to remain in place. Original oculus windows at second floor north elevation. Original soffits at upper roof remain intact. Intact two story polygonal bay window at north elevation. Slender porch columns and guard rails appear to be original historic building fabric. Roof non-historic composition shingle. The character and condition of the interior is not known. A small cottage constructed in 1912 and an original small garage constructed in 1916 are also located on this parcel. |
|
|
| Status: |
Yes - Inventory |
| Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
|
| Cladding(s): |
Shingle, Wood - Clapboard |
Foundation(s): |
Concrete - Poured |
| Roof Type(s): |
Gable |
Roof Material(s): |
Asphalt/Composition-Shingle |
| Building Type: |
Domestic - Single Family |
Plan: |
Rectangular |
| Structural System: |
Balloon Frame/Platform Frame |
No. of Stories: |
two & ½ |
| Unit Theme(s): |
Architecture/Landscape Architecture |
| Integrity |
|
Changes to Windows: |
Intact |
|
Changes to Plan: |
Intact |
|
Changes to Original Cladding: |
Intact |
|
Changes to Interior: |
Unknown |
|
Other: |
Intact |
|
| 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 Assessment Rolls, Washington State Archives.
|
|
King County Tax Assessor Records, ca. 1932-1972.
|
|
City of Seattle DPD Microfilm Records.
|
|
|
