| Historic Name: |
Howard P. & Bertha Miller House |
Common Name: |
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| Style: |
Arts & Crafts - Craftsman, Colonial - Colonial Revival |
Neighborhood: |
Fremont |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1900/1916 |
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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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This house is an interesting example of an early Fremont single family dwelling that was converted to double-house during the 1910s. It is located in the Edgemont Addition, which was platted in January 1890, both the initial construction and the conversion occurred during the intense periods of historic residential development in the district. The land parcel appears to have been owned by Dr. Howard Miller (1849-1909) for several years prior to the construction of a family home on the site c.1900. The Sanborn Insurance Map (1905) clearly shows the original footprint of the house; it was one and one-half stories with an asymmetrical form, a polygonal bay window at the south side of the façade and a one-story projecting porch at the north side as well as a polygonal bay window at the east end of the south elevation and narrow one-story wing at the rear elevation. Dr. Howard Philipe (H. P.) Miller was a Massachusetts-born physician and a druggist who appears to have migrated from Yolo County, California to Seattle with his wife Bertha and their two children sometime after 1885. The family appears to have begun to reside near Lake Avenue (later known as Fremont Avenue) and Etruria St. (now on the Queen Anne side of the ship canal) by c.1890. By 1901, the Polk’s Seattle City Directory identifies him as residing at this address (3636 Woodland Park Ave, N.) and the 1902 directory identifies him as the proprietor of Miller Drug Company at Fremont and Ewing streets. By 1905, it was known as the Fremont Drug Co. (3401 Fremont Avenue, in the building later known as the Fremont Tavern and the Red Door now relocated to 34th Avenue N. & Evanston Ave. N.). The building and drug store at 3401 Fremont Avenue were reportedly built in 1895; it is not known if or how Dr. Miller may have been affiliated with the building/business at that time. Dr. Miller died on April 30, 1909 and his widow Bertha and two children continued to reside at the family residence; however by 1910 the US census indicates that there were at least four individuals that roomed there. A building permit (#151330) was issued on August 8, 1916 to Mrs. H.P. Miller to “Build 2 story addition to residence & change to double house.” The permit identified the builder as A.J. Carr and the cost of the anticipated construction work as $3,000. Based on a comparison of the Sanborn Insurance maps from 1905 and 1919, and the current footprint it is clear that the original house was expanded northward and upward to create a symmetrical full two-story form; the house was also expanded eastward as evidenced by the mid-point location of the original polygonal bay at the south elevation. The contractor for the expansion and conversion of the house was Albert J. Carr. Mr. Carr’s obituary (Seattle Times Sept. 29, 1970) described him as a contractor and architect. He was born (c. 1876) in Crawford County, Pennsylvania and settled in Seattle in 1906. He formed the A.J. Carr Construction Co. and constructed numerous homes in Seattle until retiring in 1960. A.J. Carr is known to been the builder for a distinctive Georgian Revival style residence at 5269 16th Avenue in the University District. [# 8823900695] and another intact historic Fremont residence at 1109 N. 47th St. He reportedly designed a factory building in the International District (Seattle Daily Journal 8/4/1916).
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| Appearance |
| [Edgemont Add] Located mid-block on the east side of Woodland Park Ave. N with the façade oriented to the west. Distinctive two-story, wood-frame, single family residence initially constructed c.1900 that was extensively remodeled and converted to a double-house/duplex in 1916. Measures approx. 36’ x 49’ with a concrete foundation and full daylight basement level. Two-story, hipped roof form with low pitched roof and prominent two-story central projecting porch measuring 6’ x16’ with hipped roof. Distinguished by an eclectic mix of Colonial Revival and Craftsman details and stylistic features: symmetrical form, multi-pane 12/1 double-hung wooden window sash, accentuated two-story porch feature with sets of three Doric columns at second floor and two Doric columns at first floor and low open balustrade-type guardrail. Clad narrow horizontal (non-historic aluminum) siding similar to original cedar siding. Two story polygonal bay windows located at each side of entry porch. Original (1900) polygonal bay window at south elevation. Slender brick chimneys at the north and south elevations. A central door flanked by sidelights at the entry porch may to be original 1916 building fabric. |
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| Status: |
Yes - Inventory |
| Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
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| Cladding(s): |
Metal - Aluminum Siding |
Foundation(s): |
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| 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, Commerce |
| Integrity |
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Changes to Windows: |
Intact |
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Changes to Windows: |
Slight |
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Changes to Original Cladding: |
Moderate |
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| Major Bibliographic References |
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U.S. Census Records (1880-1920)
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Seattle Public Library – Biographical Index File
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Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890-1996.
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Sanborn (Insurance) Map Company, Seattle, Washington.
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King County Tax Assessor Records, ca. 1932-1972.
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City of Seattle DPD Microfilm Records.
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