2024 Historic Homes Tour Program

SATURDAY, MAY 18 | 10AM-4PM MEMBER’S

Welcome to the 2024 Historic Homes Tour!

Thank you for participating in the Wenatchee Valley Historic Homes Tour!

This event, organized by the City of Wenatchee Historic Preservation Board and Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center, recognizes and celebrates several historic homes and buildings preserved in our community. This is an opportunity for the public to become familiar with the value of historic preservation while fostering an appreciation for the aesthetic character and heritage of the Wenatchee Valley.

Thank you to our partners for supporting this event!

How to enjoy the tour

Saturday - Day of the Tour:

10 AM to 4 PM -

Historic homes and buildings are open for touring. Wristbands will be available for patrons to pick up at each home. Small groups will receive guided tours of the Cascadian Apartments by building management.

4:30 PM to 6:30 PM -

Member’s only reception opens, providing adult beverages and refreshments

Notes about the tour

The homes vary in age, size, and style. The buildings listed in this tour may have high-stooped entries with steep steps to climb.

Unfortunately, we can’t allow animals and service animals into the homes.

Shoe covers are strongly recommended and will be provided upon arrival to each home

Restrooms within the homes are not available for public use. Trained docents will be on hand at each location.

All residences, except for the Home of Peace Mausoleum, will require street parking.

Skolopia/Havers House

1111 Okanogan Avenue, Wenatchee

Year Built: 1908

Architect:

Unknown

Builder:

Unknown

Architectural Style:

Craftsman

Original Owner: Jacob & Marie Skolopia

Current Owners:

About the home:

Mark & Heather Seman

This classic Craftsman-style home built by Jacob and Marie Skolopia sits on a spacious quarter-acre lot, shaded in the hot summer months by the generous branches of an original maple tree. All of the windows and doors, including the framing and hardware, reflect the home’s earliest construction. A three-part window section at the front of the home features a leaded glass window with an elongated green floral and white diamond design set in clear glass. The interior of the structure includes craftsman attention-to-detail in the natural wood staircase, oak floors, wood panel doors and half-wall paneling with recessed areas and trim elements for displaying china or other decorative objects. A control lever and chain furnace damper device remains as an unusual ornamental (but once functional) element of the home The pocket doors between the living and dining rooms were only closed during marriage proposals. A workbench used by Charles (Stuart) Havers sits in the basement (Charles S. and Elsie M. Havers purchased the property in the late 1950s). This home was one of the first to be built on Okanogan Avenue

About the owners:

Wenatchee pioneers Jacob and Marie Skolopia (born in Hungary and Norway respectively) were some of the earliest white settlers in North Central Washington Jacob, born in 1860, established a Waterville-area homestead in 1887. He later moved to Wenatchee in 1895. Marie, born in 1872, came to Wenatchee in 1897. The couple was married in 1902. Charles (Stuart) and Elsie Havers purchased the residence in 1956 and raised five daughters, including current owner Heather Seman. A University of Washington graduate, Charles entered the US Navy in 1942 and met Elsie while stationed on St Simon’s Island, Georgia The couple married in 1948, moving to Wenatchee in 1949 where Charles worked for Wells & Wade until his retirement in 1977. Before marrying Charles, Elsie worked as a secretary to the president of the Hercules Powder Company, traveling extensively and living for a time in Okinawa, Japan. Thank you

Special thanks to Mountain Chick Floral: For providing complimentary floral arrangements for the member’s only reception.

625 Nelson Ave, Wenatchee Wells House

Year Built: 1908

Architect:

Designed by Mrs Adelaide Clark and C.C. Cross and Son Architects of Santa Monica, CA.

Builder: Architectural Style:

Constructed by ranch hands and supervised by C A Sterling

Original Owner: William Timothy & Adelaide Clark

Current Owners:

Its unique architecture, ties to Tudor with a castle-style tower made from locally sourced stone Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center

About the home:

Situated on the Wenatchee Valley College Campus, this renovated single-family dwelling was built by pioneer promoter William Timothy Clark, making it the first home in Washington State to be placed on the National Register of Historic Sites

Its unique architecture, ties to Wenatchee Valley history, and its significance as a local landmark, factored into the home’s official historic status in 1973

Mrs Adelaide Clark designed the house and the leaded, stained-glass apple windows. The exterior walls are 12-inch-thick hand-hewn stone from the Columbia River, prompting the home to be temporarily known as the “Cobblestone Castle” In 1919, the home was purchased by A.Z. and Emogene Wells, who, in 1949, deeded the home to the Wenatchee School District for use as Wenatchee Valley College classrooms, cafeteria, ladies' dormitory, and an administrative office space

In 1972, a “Save the Wells House Committee” was formed after the college considered demolishing the structure After several years of working with the college board of trustees, the committee incorporated, and the home was deeded to them in 1975.

In 2012, the committee became an affiliate of the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center and began to jointly work on the project of restoring and preserving Wells House.

In 2014, the committee deeded the property to the museum, but continues to be lead partner in preserving and restoring the historic Wells House and grounds

In early May of 2017, the museum and Wells House Committee members worked together to restore the home After reaching such a significant milestone, they hosted a grand re-opening celebration. Home tour visitors can now view the home as it looked at the time of its original construction

About the owners:

William Timothy Clark engineered the construction of the Highline Irrigation Canal and was instrumental in the building of the first bridge across the Columbia River at Wenatchee.

In 1919, AZ and Emogene Wells owned 900 acres of bearing orchard between Wenatchee and the Canadian border AZ was co-owner of Wells and Wade Hardware and Wells and Wade Fruit Company

A special thank you to CW Painting for their support of the

Did you know?

The Wells House is available to rent for small parties, bridal showers, weddings, and so much more! For more details, call the museum at (509)-888-6240.

Wells House!

Home of Peace Mausoleum

850 S Miller Street, Wenatchee

Year Built: 1916

Architect:

Unknown

Builder:

Unknown

Architectural Style:

Original Owner: Wenatchee Community Mausoleum Association

Current Owners:

Beaux Arts City of Wenatchee

About the Mausoleum:

In 1914, the Wenatchee Daily World reported that Seattle promoters would “build a structure of great beauty that will last a thousand years or more. ” The Beaux Arts-style structure built of sandstone, with a white marble interior and formaldehyde gas system, was designed to house 208 of the city’s most important residents.

Notable Internments:

The mausoleum’s first occupant was Harry Jr., the two-year-old son of Frannie and Harry Wiester, owners of one of Wenatchee’s first department stores. The elder Wiesters later joined Harry Jr. in the mausoleum According to city records, 25 people placed in the mausoleum died before it was built

Other notable residents housed in the Mausoleum are:

Mayor James W. Ferguson (1899-1901)

Early pioneers Alfred J. Olds, Grace Griggs and Louis Crollard

Isaac Reeves, a Civil War veteran and member of the Grand Army of the Republic

Two other former mayors, C.B. Halbert and Fred Reeves

Spanish-American war veteran James H. Dengel

Several young victims of the 1918 influenza epidemic

Jacob and Marie Skolopia, the original owners of the home on 1111 Okanogan Avenue.

There are eight vacant spaces, believed to have been purchased for people that were later buried elsewhere No one has been placed in the mausoleum since the early 1980s.

Membership makes a difference!

Our members are the foundation of our success. Your support makes these amazing programs, exhibits and the preservation of our history possible, contributing to an essential part of our community Your membership with us gives you year-round access to the fun exhibits, events and activities

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO BECOME A MEMBER TODAY!

Cascadian Hotel

102 N Wenatchee Ave, Wenatchee

Year Built: 1929

Architect:

Builder:

C. Frank Mahon

A D Bellanger & Company

Architectural Style:

Art Moderne and Beaux Arts

Original Owner: West Coast Hotel Company

Current Owners:

Cascadian Apartments LLC

About the Hotel:

This ten story building was built in 1929 (within 5 months!) by the West Coast Hotel Company at the cost of $500,000. It is Wenatchee's tallest building. To get the site prepared for the construction of the hotel, Browne and Murray Service Station was torn down Goodfellow Bros were contracted to excavate the site. During the excavation of the site, traces of oil were found at the 10 foot level on the premises This confirmed suspicions that there was oil in this region

The architect who designed the plans for the Cascadian Hotel was C. Frank Mahon of Seattle and the general contractor was A D Bellanger & Company of Everett. Both the architect and contractor had worked together before on other buildings. At the ground breaking ceremonies, Mayor Widby, Fred Collard, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and N I Neubauer, a member of the boards of director of the West Coast Company who built the hotel, were all present and were the first ones to dig their shovels into the ground.

WS Gehr sold the lot to the West Coast Company and was among the many spectators that attended the ground breaking ceremony. There were many local citizens that had a financial interest in the hotel in attendance. These included J.A. Scaman, PF Scheble, WS Gehr, Ed Russell, and JS Mooney The hotel had 133 guest rooms, five store rooms, a coffee shop, a social hall and several lobbies. It was the home of the Kiwanis and the Lions Club for some time Eventually, to escape the hotel trade decline, the Cascadian converted 200 rooms into apartments and on the first and second floors, and rented out their commercial spaces. It also houses one of the oldest working elevators in the state

In 1935, the owners of the Cascadian Hotel were subject to a lawsuit from Mrs Elsie Parrish of Wenatchee. Parrish was a maid for the Cascadian Hotel for a year and a half She filed a law suit against the West Coast Hotel Company because they refused to pay minimum wage. Both the State's superior and supreme courts ruled in Mrs. Parrish's favor. However, the hotel company still refused to give up its fight and took the case to the United States Supreme Court At first, things did not look like they were going well for Mrs. Parrish due to a case ruling in 1939. In Adkins vs Children's Hospital, the court ruled that it was unconstitutional to pay women minimum wage. The West Coast Hotel Company tried to use this ruling to convince the Supreme Court to rule in their favor However in the end, Mrs Parrish won her case and it set the pace for other women to come out and demand that they be paid minimum wage as well.

In the 1950's, the local radio station KPQ AM broadcasted from the seventh floor of the Cascadian In 1971, the Cascadian ran into financial problems and was forced to close its doors in August of the same year. A year later, the building reopened as residential housing for low income senior citizens. Today the building is still used for low income housing for senior citizens This building's major significance is that it has provided a place of residence and operation of business for many Wenatchee citizens while helping support the economic growth of the community

Harry & Marjorie Miller House

917 Idaho Street, Wenatchee

Year Built: 1925

Architect:

Ludwig Solberg

Builder:

Unknown

Architectural Style:

Colonial -Colonial Revival

Original Owner: Harry & Marjorie Miller

Current Owners:

Lisa & Matt Dahlgreen

About the home:

The house at 917 Idaho Street is on Block 67 of the Grand View Addition to Wenatchee, platted in 1903 This plat included only the north half of the block, with property fronting on Idaho Street

Development along this side of Idaho began to take shape in the 1920s, with some four out of nine homes and detached alley garages in place by 1928. The remainder of the block filled in through the 1940s, this parcel finishing development by 1928 It appears on Sanborn insurance maps for that year with its present U-shaped footprint, and a small garage facing the alley Local architect Ludwig Solberg designed the house, and a photo of it appears among his collected works.

R.L. Polk city directories list Harry L. and Marjorie M. Miller as owner-occupants in this house. The family still resided there in 1940. Harry was manager of the Skookum Packers Association This home was also the temporary home of a propeller from Miss Veedol

This property is significant and likely eligible for local and/or national register listing, for its association with the Miller family, and as an unaltered example of Solberg's Colonial Revival designs in Wenatchee. The fireplace mantle is one of the remaining original pieces within the home.

City of Wenatchee - Historic Preservation

The City of Wenatchee is proud of the many historic homes and commercial buildings that have been restored and maintained to state and national historic preservation standards. The largest concentrations of historic properties are located within the Grandview Historic District (Wenatchee's Register of Historic Places), a residential area west of downtown and the Downtown Wenatchee Historic District (National Register of Historic Places) with almost 100 properties within the area bound by North First and Kittitas Streets and by Columbia and Mission Streets.

Scan here to view the full listing of the City’s Register of Historic Properties

Miller-Griffin Building

22 N Wenatchee Ave, Wenatchee

Year Built: 1910

Architect:

Unknown

Builder:

Unknown

Architectural Style:

Original Owner: A C

Current Owners:

About the home:

Arthur Miller constr

common second-floor apartment space in 1910. Since 1894, the site served Wenatchee's downtown since 1894 as a lodging house and then a doctor's office, cigar factory, and barbershop. Miller's first tenants were a confectionary and a shoe shop Over its long life, the building housed a hotel and the 19 Clements Apartments upstairs Following remodeling, second-story windows were paneled over, before they were removed, exposing windows. Downstairs, businesses included a dry goods merchant, jeweler, florist, the Walter Barnhard music store (where long-time piano tuner Lester Gossett was based), Crawford's Flowers, Ihler's Dress Shop, and the Tree Factory Fifteen years ago, it became the Challenge 2000 Apple Shop, a business operated by disabled persons It was the home of GPA Embroidery, and currently accommodates a loft-style apartment, and three vacation rental units.

Burdick House

140 S Emerson Ave, Wenatchee

Year Built: 1920

Architect:

Unknown

Builder:

Unknown Arts & Crafts

Architectural Style:

Original Owner:Martin & Clarissa Burdick

Current Owners:

About the home:

Mark Kacmarcik and Thea Appleton

The house at 140 S Emerson Avenue stands on Block 64 of the Grand View

Addition to Wenatchee, platted in 1903 Development on the block took shape slowly over the first two decades of the 20th century. By 1921, about half of the lots contained a single-family home with a garage on the alley.

This particular parcel appears to have been developed in the early 1910s. Sanborn maps for 1921 show the house in its current configuration, with a garage along the alley twice replaced later on R L Polk directories list a number of owners and residents at this address, beginning as early as 1914-15.

The first owner-occupant is shown as Martin and Clarissa Burdick Martin is described as a fruit grower. Ernest W. Burdick, secretary-treasurer at the Wenatchee Steam Laundry, was also in residence.

By 1929-30, owners are listed as Edwin 0. and Anna L. Harrison. Edwin was a salesman at the Montana Life Insurance Co. Other residents in the house at that time were William Ackerman, a teller at Commercial Bank & Trust Co.; Walter Long, a bookkeeper at Fruit Growers Service Co.; and Mrs. Dora Smith, a widow.

By 1940, ownership had once again changed hands. Listed at this address are Tyler A. and Edna M. Rogers and son Harold, a student. Tyler was described as president of Northwest Oil Research and secretary-manager of Norco First Drilling Corp.

Despite alteration, this house still conveys its Craftsman styling in its overall massing and detail, and is interesting for its association with a variety of Wenatchee business people. Owners worked to recreate window trim and built-ins and uncovered several doors and windows.

Floral Arrangements

Each residence received a unique floral arrangement designed and donated by Bloom Baby. Thank you Bloom Baby for gifting a beautiful arrangement to our home owners!

Burke Hill Apartments

119 Okanogan Avenue, Wenatchee

Year Built: 1930

Architect:

Earl Morrison

Builder:

Hatley-Russell Company

Architectural Style:

Beaux Arts

Original Owner: Burke Apartments LLC

Hatley-Russell Company

Current Owners:

About the building:

The Burke Hill Apartment building was constructed in 1930. The idea of building this structure is credited to Leon Russell and J W Hatley, who formed the Hatley-Russell Company. This company was made up of President J W Hatley, who was the operator of the Wenatchee Hotel, Vice President Ed Russell and Secretary and real estate operator Leon Russell. Ed Russell sold the property that the building occupies to the company for $15,000 The three partners became the contractors for the apartment building. The excavation contract was given to the Goodfellow Bros. and the building design was done by Earl Morrison. This six story, 55 unit building was named after two people who had a great amount of influence on Wenatchee's development, Judge Thomas Burke of Seattle and James J. Hill. Judge Thomas Burke was one of the founders of the Wenatchee Development Company In 1892 he and his associates platted out Wenatchee's new town site and encouraged the local businesses to invest in the development of Wenatchee.

James J. Hill, president of the Great Northern Railroad, came to Wenatchee and was a major investor in the development of the city. Judge Burke was James J. Hill’s agent during the development of the Great Northern Railroad throughout Washington State James J Hill was also a major investor in the Wenatchee Development Company In the past 5 years, this building has undergone extensive updates Even so, this residence retains most of the original features from when it was first constructed For example, the elevator that was used when the building first opened is still in use today only with new gears. The Philippine mahogany and many of the light fixtures are original as well.

In the basement, there originally was a lube and wash rack for cars. The wash rack exists today, and the lube area is now an office The original boiler heats the building Each room was equipped with a Murphy Door bed, although they have been removed from use In the access hallways, each unit had a small access door to the outside designed for the milkman to deliver and pick up milk and also for the linen service to deliver. Originally, the building had a central refrigeration system for each small refrigerator in the apartments.

Today, a core of apartments still uses this method of refrigeration. Where those units are no longer used for refrigerators, the casements are still used to accommodate storage space The Schneiders, the owners since 1962, commented on the original Art Deco paint and wall paper throughout the building, which has now been removed and/or covered with paint

This residential building was built at a time when there was a 38% shortage of apartments, houses, hotels, and flats throughout the Pacific Northwest cities. It provided housing that was both modern and affordable. When this building was constructed, there were few hotels or motels nor were there single-living facilities Even today, the Burke Hill Apartments provide affordable living spaces This building is primarily designed with bachelor or studio apartments and not family living areas.

Alfred & Mary Morris House

500 Douglas Street, Wenatchee

Year Built: 1918

Architect:

Unknown

Builder:

Unknown

Architectural Style:

Original Owner: Alfred & Mary Morris Prairie

Current Owners:

Heather & Jeff Ostenson

About the home:

The house at 500 Douglas Street stands on Block 37 of the Amended Great Northern Plat of Wenatchee, platted in 1892 Some of the earliest residential development in the new plat occurred along Douglas Street Block 37 was still entirely undeveloped in 1905, when the first Sanborn Fire Insurance map of Wenatchee was produced. By 1909, only six homes had been built on the block According to Sanborn maps, this particular house was constructed in 1918 per building plans in possession of the owner. The spacious Prairie Style home was designed in its current configuration, with an auto garage built into the basement No changes occurred to its plan through 1949

The first Wenatchee telephone listing at this address is Alfred and Mary Morris as homeowners in 1931 Alfred L Morris settled in Wenatchee in 1902 with his uncle Alonzo Z Wells and bought Frank Scheble' s hardware store They renamed it Wells and Morris Hardware Company.

Later the partners found a new location at the corner of Palouse and Orondo Avenue. Morris and Wells also owned a large apple orchard fifty miles north of Wenatchee. In 1914 Morris and Wells dissolved their partnership; Wells continued farming and Morris maintained the hardware business. At that time he bought additional property to expand the business. Morris was credited for his philanthropic work. He supported the Wenatchee Little League when he donated and equipped the baseball field that was located on Millerdale Street. The Applatchee Riders Club also benefited from his generosity. Morris married Mary Steiner in 1922, and they bought the house at 500 Douglas. This house is significant both for its close link to a prominent Wenatchee businessman, and for its architectural style. No other properties in the survey area, and few in Wenatchee, exhibit the Prairie Style. The corner site also retains important aspects of neighborhood landscape design.

Interested in other Museum tours?

The Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center hosts a multitude of engaging and entertaining tour for our community. Learn about our Adventure & History Tour by scanning this QR Code.

Upcoming

Events at the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center

Wednesday, May 22, 6-9 PM- Four Minutes of Fame

Friday, June 7, 4-8 PM- Opening of the 2024 NCW Juried Art Show & Sale Exhibit

Saturday, June 8- PNW Treasures Tour with Randy Lewis: Columbia River, Methow Valley, and Liberty Bell

Tuesday, June 18, 6:30-7:30 PM- Irish Social Dancing at the Museum

Friday, July 5, 4-8 PM- First Friday at the Museum

Saturday, July 6- Family Saturday: All Day Free Admission

Monday, July 15- Start of Super Summer Adventures Camp

Friday, August 2, 4-8 PM- First Friday at the Museum

Saturday, August 3- Family Saturday: All Day Free Admission

Tuesday, August 20, 6:30-7:30 PM- Irish Social Dancing at the Museum

Friday, September 6, 4-8 PM- First Friday at the Museum

Saturday, September 7- Family Saturday: All Day Free Admission

Thursday, September 12, 7-9 PM- Film and Lecture Kick-off

Saturday, September 14- PNW Treasures Tour with Randy Lewis: The Wanapum & Ginko Petrified Forest

Tuesday, September 17, 6:30-7:30 PM- Irish Social Dancing at the Museum

Saturday, September 21, 6-9 PM- Night at the Museum