Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 4415 LINDEN AVE / Parcel ID 5694000295 / Inv # 0

Historic Name: Charles & Lena Littlefield House Common Name: Style: American Foursquare - Craftsman Neighborhood: Fremont Built By: Year Built: 1908   Significance This house is a distinctive and relatively good example of popular turn-of –the–century residential design (known as the American Four Square house type) and appears to have been constructed according to a planbook source. It is similar to popular plans known to have been promoted by local planbook purveyors Fred Fehren and Victor Voorhees during this period; however, the design source has not been identified. It is located in 2nd Motor Addition (platted September 1888) and was constructed in 1908 during an intense period of historic residential development in the district. The original building permit (#6125) indicates that the permit for construction of a “2 story frame residence” costing $2,400.00 was issued to Alfred Carlson on April 7, 1908. Alfred A. Carlson (b. 1866) was a Swedish-born building contractor who resided nearby at 4119 Phinney Ave. N. He began to learn the carpentry trade in Sweden at the age of thirteen and immigrated to the US c.1884. He migrated to Chicago in 1886 where he learned to speak English and continued to work in the carpentry trade. He came to Seattle in early February 1905 and first worked as a superintendent on the construction of the King Street Station for Johnson & Son, the Chicago contractors. He subsequently served as superintendent for other contractors involved in the construction of several noteworthy buildings including: Queen Anne High School, Lincoln High School, the Boeing Residence (in the Highlands), and the Domestic Science Building at UW. He apparently also undertook projects involving speculative residential development during this same period. The subject land parcel was owned by Retta and A.B. White (an electrician with the Broadway Car Co. who resided at 4408 Fremont Ave. N.) in 1905 and was unimproved. By 1910, the house was owned by Charles W. and Lena L. Littlefield, who appear to have been the initial home owners and residents. Charles W. Littlefield (b. 1860) was a Minnesota-born physician who migrated to Indiana before settling in Seattle where he had an office in the newly constructed Central Building. he was listed in the Polk’s Seattle City Directory (1910) as a Homoeopathist with “Office Hours” between 10am & 12 and 2 & 4pm at his downtown office and “Evenings at Residence” – indicating that he operated an medical office in this home. The Littlefields may have resided here until the mid-1930s. Tax records indicate that the house was purchased by Samuel Guy Ferrel on 9-22-38. The garage immediately adjacent to the house appears to have been built in 1939 (Permit #531539).   Appearance Located mid-block with front elevation oriented to the east. Two story, wood-frame, single family residence. Distinctive example of American Four-Square house type. Generally well preserved. Measures approx. 25’ x 32’ w/ brick and concrete foundation and full basement level. Prototypical low-pitched hipped roof form with wide overhangs. Projecting hipped roof porch at north side of façade. Original hipped dormers with multi-pane windows at south and east elevations (possibly north elevation) have been removed. Clad with narrow horizontal cedar siding original or similar to historic cladding materials. Polygonal bay windows at south and east elevations. Original double-hung wooden windows appear to remain in place, although exterior storm windows appear to have been added. Original exposed rafter ends have been covered by modern gutters. Original glazed entry door with distinctive sidelights appears to remain in place. Original central brick chimney may remain. Distinctive square porch posts with ornate brackets and low guardrail; guardrail elements appear to match historic design. Roof non-historic composition shingle. The character and condition of the interior is not known. A small 12’ x 16’ one-story flat roof garage is located immediately adjacent to south side of the house w/driveway to Linden Ave, N.

Detail for 4415 LINDEN AVE / Parcel ID 5694000295 / Inv # 0

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: Cladding(s): Wood - Clapboard 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: two Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture, Health/Medicine Integrity Changes to Windows: Slight Changes to Plan: Moderate Changes to Original Cladding: Intact Changes to Interior: Unknown Major Bibliographic References U.S. Census Records (1880-1920) Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890-1996. King County Tax Assessor Records, ca. 1932-1972. City of Seattle DPD Microfilm Records.

Photo collection for 4415 LINDEN AVE / Parcel ID 5694000295 / Inv # 0

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