| Historic Name: |
Fletcher, Charles and Annie, House |
Common Name: |
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| Style: |
American Foursquare - Spanish |
Neighborhood: |
University |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1909 |
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| Significance |
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In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places. |
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In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance. |
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In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic districe (National and/or local). |
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Based on field work conducted in October 2014, this historic property retains its relationship to the streetscape, historic building form and a sufficient amount of exterior historic building fabric (design features, cladding and/or window sash/openings) to contribute to the distinct character of the University Park neighborhood.
(2002) This Mission Revival style Foursquare house is a unique design within the University District area. It represents an unusual combination of the Mission Revival style and the American Foursquare plan. It is one of several designs in the area by architect Okey J. Gregg.
Okey J. Gregg, was born in Missouri and came to Seattle in 1904 and engaged in house building. One of his best-known projects was the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort in Olympia National Park. He joined the firm that built the Northern Life Tower, Washington Athletic Club, and State Capitol Building. He bought Sound Construction & Engineering Company in 1947 and served as its president until he retired in 1947. Mr. Gregg died in California in 1963. In the Seattle directory, Okey J. Gregg is listed as a carpenter in 1906 and 1907, and from 1908-1912, he is listed as an architect. He designed several other houses in the University District, including 5203 12th Avenue NE and 5225 17th Avenue NE. He also designed a warehouse in Wallingford and houses in Madison Park, Magnolia, Mt. Baker and Queen Anne.
The original owner of the property and the builder was T. H. Gregg, presumably a relative of Okey J. Gregg. In 1910, when a retaining wall was built, Charles Fletcher was listed as the owner, and it is assumed that he was the first real homeowner of the completed house. Charles Fletcher was a ship worker, and he and his wife Annie owned the house from 1910 until 1920. In 1928, when a sleeping porch was added to the building, the owner was Mrs. T. M. Conklin. Later owners include C.M. Bird and Harry M. Coffman.
Despite the sleeping porch addition and some minor window changes, the house is relatively intact. It is one of the earlier houses built along University Boulevard (now 17th Avenue NE), and is noteworthy because of its extremely unique design. It is one of the best examples of Okey J. Gregg's architectural work in Seattle.
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| Appearance |
(2014) This property exhibits no substantive changes to the exterior appearance since it was identified in the 2002 HRI project.
(2002) This two story stucco-clad Mission Revival style American Foursquare house occupies a prominent corner location on 17th Avenue NE (formerly University Boulevard). It features a very prominent full-width arched front porch, corner window bays at the second story bedrooms, and an ornate curved parapet wall on the porch and at the roofline. The corner window bays are topped with red tile hip roofs and with crenellations above. The ornamental curved Mission-style parapet walls hide the actual roofline. The house also features a clinker brick chimney on the north elevation and an enclosed sleeping porch on the west (rear) elevation. The sleeping porch was added in 1928. The windows are mostly double-hung with leaded glass in the upper sash. Storm windows have been added to the windows. Most windows and the cladding appear to be original. One new window has been added on the south elevation, and there are some new windows at the basement level. The windows on the upstairs sleeping porch are probably newer than the 1928 date of the addition. The stucco is textured on all elevations except the south elevation, which is the least visible from the street. The front door may be original.
The prominent arched porch, the stucco cladding, the arched parapet walls and the crenellations are all characteristics of the Mission Revival style. The combination of the Foursquare plan and the Mission style is relatively rare, and the house is distinctive within the University Park neighborhood.
There is a separate detached garage in the rear adjacent to the alley. Although the lot is quite small, the walkway from the northeast corner of the lot to the front door adds to the overall character. |
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| Status: |
Yes - Inventory |
| Classication: |
Building |
District Status: |
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| Cladding(s): |
Stucco |
Foundation(s): |
Concrete - Poured |
| Roof Type(s): |
Flat |
Roof Material(s): |
Clay Tile |
| Building Type: |
Domestic - Single Family |
Plan: |
Rectangular |
| Structural System: |
Balloon Frame/Platform Frame |
No. of Stories: |
two |
| Unit Theme(s): |
Architecture/Landscape Architecture |
| Integrity |
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Changes to Plan: |
Slight |
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Changes to Windows: |
Slight |
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Changes to Original Cladding: |
Intact |
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| Major Bibliographic References |
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City of Seattle DCLU Microfilm Records.
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King County Property Record Card (c. 1938-1972), Washington State Archives.
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Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890-1996.
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City of Seattle. Seattle Inventory Field Form. 1979.
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Okey J. Gregg, Ex-Builder Dies in Calif., Seattle Times, September 16, 1963.
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