| Historic Name: |
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Common Name: |
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| Style: |
Arts & Crafts - Craftsman |
Neighborhood: |
Crown Hill/Ballard |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1923 |
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| Significance |
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Residential Ballard is generally described as extending from the 8th Avenue NW to the east and the bluff to the west, and from NW 85th Street on the north to NW 65th Street to the south. The area primarily contains single family houses, but also includes a collection of mutli-family dwellings, commercial buildings, schools, churches, and other buildings. Most of the historic buildings in Ballard are modest cottages and builder's houses, and were not architect-designed. Building styles include, but are not limited to, Victorian (primarily Queen Anne), vernacular, Craftsman, American Foursquare, Colonial Revival (including variations), Tudor Revival, Minimal Traditional, and Ranch. The historic building fabric of Ballard is threatened by a rapid pace of development.
The City of Ballard was incorporated in 1890. It was the first community to incorporate after Washington achieved statehood in 1889. Although population increased rapidly, north Ballard was still relatively rural. In 1907, primarily due to lack of adequate water for its population of 15,000, Ballard citizens voted to be annexed to Seattle to ensure a good water supply for the area.
After annexation Ballard’s street names were changed to conform to Seattle’s: Ship Street turned into 65th Street, Main Street became 15th Avenue. During the Great Depression and World War II, construction in Ballard nearly ground to a halt, with the exception of some houses built by Earl F. Mench. However, following World War II, fueled by the G.I. bill and the rise of the automobile, Ballard boomed again, and new housing followed. In recent years, the demand for new housing has spurred a tremendous amount of change in Ballard, with old, modest houses being replaced by large box houses and multi-family units. These changes threaten to alter the character and feeling of this historic neighborhood.
References
Ballard Historical Society Classic Home Tour guides.
Crowley, Walt. Seattle Neighborhoods: Ballard--Thumbnail History. HistoryLink File # 983, accessed 6/1/16.
King County Tax Assessor Records, 1937-2014.
McAlester, Virginia Savage.
A Field Guide to American Houses (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Alfred A Knopf Press, 2013.
Oschsner, Jeffrey Karl
Shaping Seattle Architecture: A Historical Guide to the Architects. Seattle, WA: University of
Washington Press, 1994.
Passport to Ballard: The Centennial Story. Seattle, WA: Ballard News Tribune, 1988.
Barring coincidence (different people with the same name), it appears this craftsman home may have been in the same family since it was built in 1923. The Side Sewer Card in 1923 lists the owner as A Johnson.
The 1930 Census shows owner Albin K Johnson, age 40, born in Sweden, a cabinetmaker for a boat company, his wife Hilda M, 33, also born in Sweden, and daughters Alice E, 11, and Florence E, 8, both born in WA. However, none of these family members show up in the 1940 Census. They may have not answered the census that year. But a few notices of family events in the Seattle Times suggest a continued connection between the family and this house.
King County Assessor lists current owner as Alice Anderson. If she is in fact Albin's daughter she would be about 97 now.
References--all include this address except as noted Side Sewer Card #2971 dated 5/4/23, owner A Johnson
1930 Federal Census
Seattle Times (ST) 1/12/53 p21 birth of baby boy on 1/11 to Mr & Mrs Stanley Anderson
ST 7/14/55 p53 notice of intent to wed Hildur W. S. Johnson (with Nels Christensen) Hildur is Albin's sister, see below
ST 7/28/64 p18 death notice for Hildur/Mrs Nels Christensen age 78 born in Sweden. (different address but named as sister of Albin Johnson of Seattle)
ST 7/10/69 p55 death notice for K Albin Johnson, husband of Hilda and father of Mrs Alice Anderson
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| Appearance |
| Constructed in 1923, this 1.5 story single-family Craftsman-style house is generally rectangular in plan, sits on a concrete foundation, is clad with horizontal wood siding, and has an asphalt clad front-gabled roof with clipped gables, overhanging eaves, exposed rafters, knee braces, and verge boards. The front façade includes a projecting entry vestibule with a clipped gable roof, concrete capped brick wing walls and pedestals, tapered wood piers with inlaid wood detail, and decorative brackets. Sidelights flank the front door. Fenestration includes pairs and triads of double-hung wood windows. There is a substantial clipped roof dormer on the south façade. This house has been minimally altered, and still retains all aspects of integrity. |
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