Seattle Historical Sites

CONTEXT



Constructed 1927 for C.A. Paul, the Morrison Building contributes to the architectural and historic character of the Ballard Avenue Landmark District. The Ballard Avenue Landmark District encompasses a particularly well preserved section of one of several successful small towns that flourished around the perimeter of Seattle in the late nineteenth century and would be subsequently incorporated into the metropolis. Ballard Avenue is lined with an intact collection of modest scale commercial buildings that reflect the development of the community’s main commercial street between 1890 and 1930. The character of this distinctive historic streetscape was primarily preserved because it was by-passed by Post-War era development that instead occurred along modern arterials - Market Street and 15^th Avenue, to the north and east. In 1976, the Ballard Avenue Landmark District was formally designated a local historic district by the City of Seattle and was also listed in the National Register of Historic Places (Ballard Avenue Historic District).

This historic property is directly associated with the post annexation era of commercial and industrial development (1908-1930) when after the annexation of Ballard to Seattle, substantial construction continued to occur along Ballard Avenue and it remained the commercial center of the community. However, commercial development occurred at a slower pace and was more concentrated near NW Market Street. Three distinctive reinforced concrete buildings were built early in this period; the Hyde & Fitzgerald Building (aka Eagles Building, 1908), the O’Donnell Hotel Building (1909) and the Ballard Savings & Loan Building (1914). Gradually new construction and business activity became much more concentrated near Market Street.

During this era Ballard, and Seattle as a whole, became more auto-oriented and associated businesses, including a Ford showroom, were established on Ballard Avenue. The streetscape changed significantly after 1916 when prohibition was instituted and long-established local saloons were converted to tobacco, candy, ice cream and soft drink businesses. The 5-year long construction and the completion of the nearby Hiram Chittenden Locks and the Lake Washington Ship Canal in 1916 also spurred major changes within the local community and increased industrial and commercial fishing activity. Prior to the construction of the locks, barges and ships could only dock at Salmon Bay during high tide, whereas after the construction the waterway remained at a much more constant lake level, which was conducive for shipping and product distribution purposes. The creation of the ship canal also required the construction of a new Ballard Bridge (1918) and spurred associated road improvement and paving projects. With traffic revisions and roadway improvements, Market Street (formerly Broadway Street) began to be developed as the principal commercial thoroughfare. In 1927-28, the completion of the massive Ballard Building established Market Street as the modern commercial center in Ballard. However, numerous distinctive commercial buildings continued to be built along Ballard Avenue up until the onset of the Depression era.

HISTORY

According the City of Seattle microfilm library permit records, a permit (#263980) was issued to C.A. Paul on 1-17-1927 to build a store building at 5338-5340 Ballard Avenue at an anticipated cost of $3,500. The permit application indicated that the building would be built by contractor L.B. Church, who was also identified as the architect. This distinctive one-story three commercial bay wide business block is typical of small commercial buildings that were built in neighborhood commercial districts throughout Seattle during this era. It does not appear to have initially housed a family owned business, but was instead built for investment purposes. The building was purchased by Bessie H. Morrison as of 8-4-1931 and it appears to have remained in this ownership until 4-8-1965 when it was purchased by Harold Lind Olsen, the founder of Olsen Furniture Co. During the 1930s the southernmost storefront was in use as Geo & Ann Café. The tax photo taken 11-29-37 shows that the northern bay was used as the campaign offices for Mayor John F. Dore (1881-1938). Dore had already served one term (1932-34) and then was elected again in 1936. In October of 1937 he was a candidate for reelection; however, his health was failing and he was defeated in the February 1938 primary elections and died shortly thereafter.  By the late 1960s the entire building was in use for warehouse and showroom purposes for the Olsen Furniture Co., which was housed in various buildings located near 22^nd Avenue NW and Ballard Avenue NW. (See Kelsey Block 5354 Ballard Avenue NW)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Property Record Cards (1937-1972). Washington State Regional Archives, Puget Sound Regional Branch, Bellevue, WA.

“Ballard Avenue Historic District” National Register of Historic Places – Nomination Form (Prepared by Elisabeth Walton Potter, OAHP, April 1976.)

Baist’s Real Estate Atlas of Surveys of Seattle, Wash. Philadelphia: W.G. Baist, 1912.

Sanborn Insurance Maps, 1884-1951. Digital versions available via Seattle Public Library - www.spl.org.

[aka 5336-5340 Ballard Avenue NW]   One story. One-part commercial block façade composition. Rectangular footprint. Two structural bays and storefronts Wood-frame structure with wire-cut brick veneer cladding at façade. Brick cladding has been painted. Post & beam foundation ?.Central stepped gable form at parapet above central storefront bay. Cast stone coping. The storefronts have been modernized and altered. Configuration is similar to historic design/construction. No historic building fabric in place. Modern awning in place. Two intact storefront bays with multi-pane transom lights, recessed entry vestibules, large display windows and copper mullions. Tile bulkhead may be original feature. Southern storefront has been altered/rebuilt with the installation of an overhead garage door unit.