Seattle.gov Home Page
Link to Seattle Department of Neighborhoods home page

Seattle Historical Sites

New Search

Summary for 1452 20TH AVE / Parcel ID 7228501800 / Inv # 0

Historic Name: Common Name:
Style: Queen Anne - Cottage Neighborhood: Central Area
Built By: Year Built: 1893
 
Significance
This is an especially interesting example of Queen Anne -- Cottage architecture exhibiting a high degree of integrity.

This is one of approximately 2,200 houses that are still extant out of more than 5,000 that were built by the end of 1906 in Seattleā€™s Central Area, Eastlake, First Hill, Leschi, Madison Park, Madrona, and North Capitol Hill neighborhoods. The structure is located in a portion of the Central Area also known as the East Madison district.

A complete permit history, and a complete record of ownership and occupation have not yet been prepared for this property.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

King County GIS Center Property Report (http://www5.kingcounty.gov/kcgisreports/property_report.aspx; accessed August 19, 2008)

King County Property Record Card (c. 1938-1972) Washington State Archives

 
Appearance
This is a one story, clapboard clad, wood frame single-family residence on a concrete foundation, over a partial (37.5%) basement. The irregular, if essentially rectangular, plan is capped by a hip roof with flared eaves, moderate overhangs, and enclosed soffits with simple but closely spaced brackets.

The complex hip roof is typical of Queen Anne design. The bracketing at the eaves gives the structure an Italianate flavor.
The roof at the projecting front window bay suggests the octagonal hip roofs found on the corner towers often connected to large scale Queen Anne structures.

The windows and doors are characterized by patterns and details customarily associated with Queen Anne work. The upper sash of the central cottage window at the street elevation has a unique but characteristic Queen Anne muntin pattern. The other front-facing windows feature muntin patterns commonly used by Queen Anne style builders. The turned post at the outside corner of the flat roofed porch and the associated bracketing are typical of the spindlework often identified with Queen Anne -- Cottage architecture, as is the low slope of the roof.

This house was built in 1893 according to the King County Property Record Card; however, the King County GIS Center Property Report indicates the structure was completed in 1900 (it should be noted that
the computer database from which the latter date is drawn cannot record a construction date earlier than 1900). According to the King County Property Record Card, the house was remodeled in 1928; although the extent of the work undertaken at that time is not indicated, a notation on the Card suggests that the basement was added at that time.

The structure appears to have been renovated fairly recently. Some of the windows may have been refurbished; however, the original muntin patterns in the character defining windows at the front of the house do not appear to have been altered or replaced.
The porch entry stairs appear to have been rebuilt in an uncharacteristic L-shaped pattern. The spindlework stair rails may not be original. Although there may have been some soffit modifications, the distinctive detailing of the overhangs has been maintained. An extensive and unique, but stylistically complementary, wood fence was added to the site at some point since 1937.

Detail for 1452 20TH AVE / Parcel ID 7228501800 / Inv # 0

Status: Yes - Inventory
Classication: Building District Status:
Cladding(s): Vertical - Boards, Wood, Wood - Clapboard Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured
Roof Type(s): Hip Roof Material(s): Asphalt/Composition-Shingle
Building Type: Domestic - Single Family Plan: Irregular
Structural System: Balloon Frame/Platform Frame No. of Stories: one
Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture
Integrity
Changes to Plan: Intact
Changes to Windows: Slight
Changes to Interior: Unknown
Changes to Original Cladding: Slight
Major Bibliographic References

Photo collection for 1452 20TH AVE / Parcel ID 7228501800 / Inv # 0


Photo taken Jun 14, 2008

Photo taken Jun 14, 2008

Photo taken Jun 14, 2008
App v2.0.1.0