Seattle Historical Sites

Summary for 1554 NW 50th ST NW / Parcel ID 2767701815 / Inv #

Historic Name: Dean House Common Name: Dean House Style: Queen Anne Neighborhood: Crown Hill/Ballard Built By: Year Built: 1902   Significance In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance. The Dean House was constructed about 1902. New York native Joseph Dean (ca 1858-ca 1922) arrived in Seattle in late 1888 or early 1889. As a mechanic for the Fremont Sawmill, Dean probably saw smoke billowing over Queen Anne Hill as downtown Seattle burned to the ground on June 6, 1889. By the late 1890s Dean left the Fremont mill, moved to Ballard and hired on with Seattle Cedar Lumber Manufacturing Company. He lived in apartment houses and hotels until 1902 when he married Edith, a 21 year old Swedish immigrant. Because of his changed domestic life, Dean purchased some Ballard property and had a Queen Anne style house built for his bride. During his career at Seattle Cedar that lasted until World War I, the lumber company promoted him from millwright, to foreman, to master mechanic. The Deans had at least one child, J. Parker, born in 1908. After Joseph died about 1922, his wife Edith (b. ca 1881) remained in the house until about 1940. The Deans house was just three blocks from the streetcar that ran to Seattle. Later occupants. During the 1940s, Halvor and Alma E. Aspen lived in the house. Halvor Aspen worked as a mechanic for the Boeing Airplane Company. During the next decade mailman Oliver Carlson and wife Eunice G. resided there. Prior to the 1907 annexation of Ballard to the City of Seattle the building address was 2 Mohr Street. The 1975 Historic Seattle survey of Ballard listed the residence as Significant to the Community. The 1979 Seattle Historic Resources Survey inventoried the building and described it as "One of the more architecturally distinctive residences in area." The residence appears to meet City of Seattle Landmark criteria due to the age of the structure (over 100 years old) and minimal alterations.   Appearance The Dean House was constructed about 1902, which was five years before Ballard was annexed to Seattle. The vernacular Queen Anne style house has a front gable form with a gable dormer, hip dormer, and octangonal turret on the west elevation. A three sided bay window is on the first floor of the west elevation. The original south elevation recessed porch with a gable roof is enclosed. Windows are double hung and the first floor windows have a decorative upper sash. The building is sited on a corner lot.

Detail for 1554 NW 50th ST NW / Parcel ID 2767701815 / Inv #

Status: Yes - Inventory Classication: Building District Status: Cladding(s): Wood - Clapboard Foundation(s): Brick Roof Type(s): Gable Roof Material(s): Asphalt/Composition Building Type: Domestic - Single Family Plan: Irregular Structural System: Balloon Frame/Platform Frame No. of Stories: two Unit Theme(s): Architecture/Landscape Architecture Integrity Changes to Plan: Slight Changes to Original Cladding: Intact Changes to Windows: Intact Major Bibliographic References King County Property Record Card (c. 1938-1972), Washington State Archives. Polk's Seattle Directories, 1890-1996. City of Seattle. Seattle Inventory Field Form. 1979. Sanborn Map Company. Insurance Maps of Seattle, Washington. (New York, Sanborn Map Company, 1904-1905) 4 volumes. Sanborn Map Company. Insurance Maps of Seattle, Washington. (New York, Sanborn Map Company, 1916-1919) volumes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6. Sanborn Map Company. Insurance Maps of Seattle, Washington. (New York, Sanborn Map Company, 1949-1950 update) 11 volumes.

Photo collection for 1554 NW 50th ST NW / Parcel ID 2767701815 / Inv #

Photo taken Nov 23, 2004