| Historic Name: |
Edmunds House |
Common Name: |
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| Style: |
Beaux Arts - Neoclassical |
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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This unusual Neoclassical house is one of the most elaborate in the University Park neighborhood. It was built at the time of the planning for Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition on the University of Washington campus and reflects the Beaux Arts influence of the times and of the exposition grounds. The distinctive bow window and circular upstairs porch with Ionic columns similar to the entry porch add considerable interest to the building. It has many exceptional details including the balustrades and railings and the beveled and leaded glass windows.
The house was built by J.W. and Ethel Edmunds. The couple worked as an ophthalmologist and optician team at an office located on the balcony of the Stone Fisher store. From 1918-1923, Mabel Shuey lived in the house. Mabel was the sister of Franklin Shuey and niece of H.O. Shuey (builder of the Shuey house at 5218 16th Avenue NE). From 1934-1940, University of Washington botany professor John Hotson owned the house. Dr. Hotson taught forest pathology, with special interests in mycology and plant pathology..
Later owners included A. Norman Russell (starting in 1941), Mabry S. Curtis (purchased in 1947) , James R. Muller (purchased in 1949), Walter R. Emmons (purchased in 1962), and Alfred M. Gonzales (starting in 1964).
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.
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| Appearance |
| This Neoclassical style house has an unusual design with a prominent front porch with a bow window at one end. Above the enclosed portion, there is a semicircular porch with unfluted Ionic columns that mirror those in the entry porch. There are pilasters with Ionic capitals on both floors on all four sides of the house, and on the entry porch. On the second floor the balustrades and railings extend from the semicircular porch and over the downstairs entry porch. Similar balustrades and railings are found on the entry porch and on a second-floor raised balcony on the south elevation. On the south elevation below the balcony, there is a curved bay window. There is a boxed bay window on the north elevation. The house is clad with a combination of wood shingles and clapboard at the first and second floors and has stucco on the gable ends. Many of the windows are ornate beveled glass or leaded, including those in the downstairs semicircular bay and the attic windows. The house has a brick foundation. A simple frieze is below the cornice and at the break between the first and second floors. The house has wide eaves with exposed rafters and curved brackets.
The house is mostly intact, except for the enclosure of the semicircular portion of the entry porch in 1926 and the removal of the balls atop the Newel posts on the porch balustrade. The brick retaining wall, wrought iron fence and brick steps up to the yard from the street are new. The detached garage located on the alley was built in 1925.. |
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