| Historic Name: |
Smart-Durgan House |
Common Name: |
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| Style: |
Queen Anne - Cottage |
Neighborhood: |
Fremont |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1905 |
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| Significance |
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This is a distinctive and generally intact hipped cottage; it is a good example of modest working class house types that were prevalently constructed by building contractors and carpenters during this era. It was constructed ca.1905 and is located in the replatted 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. According to King County property tax assessment rolls, this land parcel was owned by Max Clericus and remained unimproved. By 1900, it had been purchased by James W. Smart, who resided nearby on Kilbourne Street. Mr. Smart had been born in Maine and had previously resided in Newcastle (ca. 1880) where he worked as a laborer and possibly as a miner. By 1906, Mr. Smart was involved in real estate sales and development and appears to have had this house built in 1905 for investment purposes. By 1910, the subject house was owned by Charles R. Durgan – who was also from Maine - and was valued $360.00. While Durgan owned the property, he does not appear to have resided there. The 1910 U.S. Census listed him as living in Stanwood, Washington (Snohomish County) where he worked as a steamboat captain. The property appears to have been a rental unit and remained in the ownership of Charles R. and Florence M. Durgan until after Charles death in c.1920. The house became the longtime residence of their son Frank R. Durgan (and his wife Margaret R.) around 1921; they continued to reside there until at least 1943 or later. Frank Durgan was an auto mechanic and driver who worked for Willys-Overland Pacific Co. and other companies including several dairy product companies. The property appears to have remained in the ownership of Durgan family members until at least 1959 or later.
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| Appearance |
| Located mid-block with front elevation oriented to the south. One story, wood-frame, single family residence. Modest late Queen Anne style cottage. Measures approx. 22’ x 46’ w/ concrete foundation and basement level. Bellcast hipped roof cottage with projecting flared front gable at west side of facade. Prominent pedimented front gable and polygonal bay window at west side of façade. Small diamond window at gable end. Cutaway entry porch at south side of facade. Original narrow horizontal cedar siding with corner boards appears to remain in place. Original diamond and scalloped shingle siding at gable end appears to remain in place. Flared barge boards at gable end. Original double-hung wooden windows appear to remain in place with the exception of the cottage window at the front bay, which has been altered. Original wide roof soffit remains in place as does a central narrow brick chimney. [Very similar to cottage located at 917 N. 47th St., constructed c.1906 or earlier.] |
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