| Historic Name: |
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Common Name: |
Viola-Billey Residence |
| Style: |
Arts & Crafts - Craftsman |
Neighborhood: |
Montlake |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1912 |
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| Significance |
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This residence is a good and intact example of the Craftsman style. Built in 1912, it is associated with the early development in the Montlake area and is a contributing resource to the Montlake NRHP Historic District. (3 craftsman houses date 1912 on this side of block)
Montlake is generally described as extending from the Washington Park Arboretum west to Portage Bay/15th Avenue E., and from the Montlake Cut on the north to Interlaken Park. The area is a significant and cohesive collection of residential architecture typical of early 20th century Seattle and is eligible as a NRHP historic district under Criterion C. Construction occurred primarily between 1910 and 1940, with a variety of Craftsman and revival styles ranging from modest cottages and builder's houses to high-style architect-designed residences, impressive institutional buildings, and notable parks and natural features. There are few intrusions of newer buildings. In the early 1960s, construction of SR 520 and the unfinished R.H. Thomson Expressway bisected Montlake, but the neighborhood retains its basic integrity as a pre-World War II Seattle neighborhood.
Montlake was incorporated into the City of Seattle in 1891. Although the first plats (Union City 1st and 2nd additions) were filed by Harvey Pike in 1869-1871, development did not really begin until plats were filed by John Boyer (Interlaken, 1905) and H. S. Turner (1907). Montlake Park (north of SR 520) was platted in 1909 by the developers James Corner and Calvin and William Hagan. With the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition came a streetcar line on 24th Avenue E. and an impetus for development. In 1916, the Lake Washington Ship Canal was completed and the Montlake Bridge linked the neighborhood to the university area in 1925. A small commercial district grew along the car line.
The 1903 Olmsted Parks and Boulevards Plan of 1903 surrounded Montlake with parks. Montlake Boulevard (then call University Boulevard) connected Lake Washington Boulevard to the A-Y-P grounds. Washington Park, the eastern boundary, was acquired by the City in 1900 and developed as an arboretum in 1936-41. At the southern edge is steep, forested Interlaken Park and boulevard.
By 1915, the neighborhood had developed enough to require a temporary school building; the permanent structure opened in 1924.Soon afterwards came a playfield and shelter house (1933-36) and a library (1944, replaced 2006). Other noteworthy structures include the Seattle Yacht Club (1920), the NOAA Northwest Fisheries Center (1931), the Museum of History and Industry (1952) and St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church (1962).
Major Bibliographic References:
Becker, Paula. Seattle Neighborhoods: Montlake--Thumbnail History. HistoryLink File # 10170, accessed 12/2/2013.
Gould, James W. Montlake History. http://www.scn.org/neighbors/montlake/mcc_history.Jim_Gould.html
Smith, Eugene. Montlake: An Urban Eden, A History of the Montlake Community in Seattle. La Grande OR: Oak Street Press, 2004
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| Appearance |
| This one-and-half story Craftsman has a square plan, broad low side-gable roof, wide eaves with heavy triangular knee braces, and coursed shingle cladding. The symmetrical facade is dominated by a full width wood porch under the extended eaves supported by brick piers and hip wall. The slightly projecting entry has an original door with beveled divided lights and plain sidelights. The windows on each side of the entry are a grouping of wide sash flanked by narrower wood sash all with patterned divided lights over a single pane. The north elevation features two large hanging bowed window bays with four vertical sashes of similar pattern. Other windows are similar original wood sash in pairs and groups. The house sits slightly above the street on a large corner lot with a low rockery, lawn, foundation shrubs and several mature oak trees in the parking strips on the north and east sides. The detached garage (1912) has compatible wood panel doors with divided lights in the upper third and a deck with newer wood railing and balustrade above; it in the northwest corner of the lot, accessible from E McGraw St. |
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