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

Seattle Historical Sites

New Search

Summary for 800 E DENNY WAY E / Parcel ID 600300-2045 / Inv # 0

Historic Name: unknown Common Name: unknown
Style: Arts & Crafts - Craftsman Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Built By: Year Built: 1902
 
Significance

This house is surrounded by a tall fence and trees that obscure much of the building.  It  appears to have several intact features, including decorative bargeboards, diamond-paned wood sash and stickwork in the north gable end.

The 1902 house is typical of those built near Broadway early in the century.  This area  was platted by David T. Denny, the trustee for the estate of John Nagle, who filed the donation claim for the area.  In 1891 a streetcar line was extended from James Street, running north on Broadway to the city limits at E. Lynn Street, with direct service to downtown added on Pike Street in 1901.  Another major impetus to local development was the 1902 completion of Seattle (later Broadway) High School, the city’s first modern high school, which was located at the corner of Broadway and E. Pine Street.  Broadway, already an important street, flourished with new businesses, especially those catering to students, such as sandwich shops. By 1910 the area was largely developed, with small commercial buildings, numerous apartment buildings and single family homes such as this one.  Further apartment and commercial development occurred in the 1920s, when the Broadway district boomed to become one of the city’s premier shopping venues. 
The Great Depression of the 1930s led to general stagnation, and the neighborhood changed significantly after World War II.  Broadway High School closed in 1946, replaced by Edison Technical School, a vocational training institution.  Many houses became rentals, often being converted to multifamily or being replaced by institutional uses.  The 1980s brought new development, as people returned to live in city neighborhoods. The Broadway district is now thriving with new stores and apartment buildings. 

 
Appearance
This house sits above the street on a corner lot just west of Broadway. It is completely surrounded by a high fence and tall trees.  It has a side gable form with large gabled dormers on the front and rear.  The gables have asbestos shingles and decorative bargeboards.  Most of the upper-level windows appear to be original with diamond-paned (wood) upper sash. The large gable on the north has stickwork.

Detail for 800 E DENNY WAY E / Parcel ID 600300-2045 / Inv # 0

Status:
Classication: Building District Status:
Cladding(s): Shingle - Concrete/Asbestos Foundation(s): Concrete - Poured
Roof Type(s): Gable Roof Material(s): Asphalt/Composition
Building Type: Domestic - Single Family Plan: Rectangular
Structural System: Balloon Frame/Platform Frame No. of Stories: two
Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture
Integrity
Changes to Plan: Slight
Changes to Windows: Unknown
Changes to Original Cladding: Moderate
Major Bibliographic References
Williams, Jacqueline B. The Hill with a Future: Seattle's Capitol Hill 1900-1946. Seattle: CPK Ink, 2001.

Photo collection for 800 E DENNY WAY E / Parcel ID 600300-2045 / Inv # 0


Photo taken Jul 11, 2010
App v2.0.1.0