Forgotten Capitol Hill Mansion Pt. 2
May 12th, 2009 @ 12:33 am by Cliffe | Sorted Historic Buildings
Today we are marching on with Part 2 of our Forgotten Capitol Hill Mansion feature. If you missed yesterday’s Part 1, click here. The owner estimates that it will take 6 months to make this 1926 North Capitol Hill Mediterranean Revival mansion livable. That would include repairing the roof, removing overgrowth vegetation touching the house, repairing windows and leaks, new boiler, kitchen work, bathroom work and paint. Other changes will come in time, but he stressed to me that every effort will be made to retain the restore the original features. The first owner of the home was said to be a rum-runner during prohibition — though that is just a rumor. Fueling the rumor, though, is an 8′ x 10′ room in the basement of the home — to get access you have to step through a vault door hidden in a linen closet. As for how this incredible place lay dormant for so long, the owner relayed this information:
[See also: Forgotten Capitol Hill Mansion Pt. 1]
All we really know is that it was purchased in 1991 by a Malaysian family ostensibly for use as an official Malaysian building (like a consulate or something). Details are sketchy. The family did not move in and the house was held and maintained during that period. Even though the house was maintained, several issues arose which got worse over time, leading to the current condition.
If you or anyone you know has additional information pertaining to the history of this mansion, please stop by the comments or e-mail me. We’d love to hear from you. Big thanks once again to the Vintage Seattle reader who is fortunate enough to own this piece of Seattle history and who kindly showed us around. We look forward to heading back once it’s been restored and sharing more photos. But for now, check out the rest of the current batch. Click on the thumbnails for higher res versions.
[See also: Forgotten Capitol Hill Mansion Pt. 1]
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| Fountain through arches. | Alternate angle. |
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| Fountain from above. | Close-up of water and fountain. |
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| Balcony and supports. | Adjacent patio area. |
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| Heading up the stairs to the second floor. | Light fixture at top of staircase, peeling paint. |
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| Master bedroom. | Reading room off of master. |
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| Master bedroom french doors. | The view from the balcony, looking out toward Husky Stadium. |
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| The wood floors are original and in good condition. | Crown molding detail. |
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| Looking outside. | Alternate angle. |
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| This basement area is thought to have once housed a bowling alley. | Basement area light fixture. |
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| Formal dining room light fixture. | One more shot of that colorful tile. |
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| Front door hardware. | Front door. |
May 12th, 2009 @ 7:48 am
This is beautiful! Love the textures and details now and the idea that it’s going to be well taken care of. Thank you for sharing this.
May 12th, 2009 @ 9:09 am
Jess,
When I was a child my uncle owned a similar large old mansion overlooking Lake Washington on the Seattle side, on Cascadia Avenue, and after he sold it (when I was in my teens), I learned from him that he’d found the entrance of a tunnel in his basement that led out to toward the lake shore before being blocked by an old cave-in. He too suspected bootleggers. I was gobsmacked that he had not told us about this sooner or troubled to research the rumor, since as a twelve-year-old I would have been ON that case. This makes me want to see what I can learn about the rumrunning history around here. Anybody got any info on that?
May 12th, 2009 @ 9:14 am
I have a bit of recent information about this house.
It was rented for a year (or two?) in 1993 by four guys who worked at Microsoft. They realized that they could rent this amazing mansion for the same as what it would cost them to each individually rent apartments.
I remember it being a bit run down, but a really fabulous building.
While the guys lived there, the house earned a reputation its parties. The house was so big that they could have two bands playing simultaneously in different locations. The phrase ‘mansion party’ was widely known in the early nineties.
May 12th, 2009 @ 9:19 am
First of all, master bedroom with reading room off to the side? Swoon! This is my dream house!
Secondly, I am now wondering if this is one of the houses that I pass by on my meandering lunchhour walks in north Cap Hill every day, given that it seems to be overlooking Boren/Interlaken Park, judging by that balcony view. I tend to go down to the Lake View Cemetery area and wander up and down 16th, 17th, 18th Aves. I’ll keep an eye out.
Matt F., here’s this: http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=4015
May 12th, 2009 @ 9:45 am
@Shannon - Great link, thanks! There are some great reading referrals at the bottom of that article. And for the record, it took me about a minute and a half to find this place on Virtual Earth. I won’t say whether you’re warm or cold, since Jess has gone to lengths to protect the anonymity of the place, but that unusually shaped fountain/pool is a giveaway from the air.
May 12th, 2009 @ 11:48 am
Since this residence sits back far enough from the street, it is easy to see how it could go undetected for so long. Google street view only gets the front gate and foliage. Regardless, it is outstanding to see this purchased and cared for by someone who understands the value in such a home. I am sure the owners realize it would be just as easy to build a new McMansion on the property for probably less than the cost to rehab the existing, but choose to not take the easy way out! Standing ovation from my desk and please keep us updated on the progress!
May 12th, 2009 @ 12:22 pm
Everybody seems to know where this place is but me! I can’t find it on Google satellite view. Oh well.
May 12th, 2009 @ 1:01 pm
I think you do, Shannon. Deep in your heart of hearts, you do.
May 12th, 2009 @ 2:21 pm
I think you all are mean for not letting me into the club. Sadistic, even.
May 14th, 2009 @ 9:44 am
I’m glad the new owner is committed to preservation. When the house was for sale last year it was mostly advertised as a tear down on two buildable lots.
May 14th, 2009 @ 4:49 pm
Am I reading the original 1930’s tax records from part 1 correctly, Jess? It seems the fee owner in Dec 1932 was “First Note Bank” but the house was built in 1926. Do you think this was a note that there is a mortgage, or indication of a Great Depression repossession?
Very cool house in a beautiful neighborhood. I’m breaking one of the 10 Commandments at this moment… no, no, it’s the coveting one!
May 14th, 2009 @ 5:22 pm
That balcony pic immediately reminded me of what I had seen off of Interlaken driving by one day. The soaring support wall that sits on the side of the hill. I see after scanning down the comments that a few others guessed that as well. I had no Idea this was vacant (why would I?) but this is the only structure that comes to mind when I picture winding down that road. A little envious of the new owner..
May 20th, 2009 @ 9:46 am
When I went to Garfield HS in the early 1960s, one of my classmates lived in this house. I was in it once and remember seeing the bowling alley in the basement. I remember the house being huge and spawling down the hill toward Interlaken. It seemed to have many different levels. The best view of the house is from Interlaken. Friends who live nearby remember the Microsoft parties from the early 1990s, which spread out over the street and were not liked by the neighbors. I toured the house in the early 1990s when it was for sale and there was an open house. I hope it is restored to its original glory.
May 23rd, 2009 @ 12:44 pm
I showed this house to 2 sets of buyers in ‘90 or ‘91. It was awesome, although in need of considerable work even then.
I recall that the bowling alley was still partially intact. On the same lower floor were some truly Victorian-level servant quarters; very dark and dingy.
Two things I heard at the time, both of which may well be apocryphal :
1. The residence was owned or occupied at one time early on by a follower of A∴A∴, one of Aleister Crowleys magic orders. During this time some large & debauched Hellfire Club style gatherings took place there, involving some old Seattle families who would still be horrified to have this information come out.
2. To the south of the house there were the remains of some very overgrown elaborate gardens. Scuttlebutt was that they were private Olmstead gardens designed and put in at the same time as Volunteer Park.
June 5th, 2009 @ 9:56 pm
I have loved this house for years now and I am so glad that there is finally someone to renovate it and continue to love this beautiful home again! When I go on my walks I get to see the backside of this home from Interlaken… Thank you so much for the pictures!
July 13th, 2009 @ 1:09 am
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July 24th, 2009 @ 10:53 am
Более 2х лет постоянно обеспокоен этой тематикой и нахожу ваши идеи достаточно легкомысленными
January 27th, 2010 @ 7:42 pm
We’re planning a quick trip to Seattle next summer (’10) Does anyone know if this home will be open for tours, etc?
Any other cool homes we ‘must see’? I’m an architecture buff