The Nowell Residence

 On the SW corner of 25^th Ave E and E Boston Street sits a neat and unassuming Colonial Revival Cottage built in 1920.  Its official name with National Register of Historic Places is The Nowell Residence named for it first owners, Frank and Elizabeth Nowell. 

While it’s easy to think of 1920 as “fairly recent” when discussing our historic neighborhood only about 20% of the available Montlake lots had been built on at that time.  The ship canal had opened just a few short years before but we wouldn’t see the opening of the Montlake Bridge for another 5 years.  Montlake School as we have known it wouldn’t open for another 4 years.  By the end of 1920 only 60 homes in Montlake had garages as we weren’t yet an automotive-dominated society and there was no end of convenient street parking available.  The Central Business District between Lynn and McGraw Streets consisted of only two buildings.  This was the Montlake that Frank and Elizabeth moved into at 2021 25^th E.  

1923 - Courtesy of Ron Edge 

Prior to settling down in Seattle Frank had done a lot of traveling and held a number of different jobs in Alaska where he developed an interest in life on the frontier and an appreciation of the indigenous NW cultures.  

1905 - UWDC - NOW132

He became adept at photography and began documenting his travels.  In 1909 he landed a great gig as official photographer for the 1909 Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition and, while there were several notable local photographers, Frank H. Nowell was responsible for some of the most iconic images that we associate with Seattle’s first world’s fair.  

1909 - SPL - AYP304

He opened a storefront at 1212 4^th Ave where he specialized in portraits and photographic services while producing most of the images documenting the building of the Smith Tower completed in 1914.  When the Montlake house was built, 6 years later, he and Elizabeth moved in and lived there through the 1930’s before retiring to their Crystal Lake “ranch” near Maltby.  

c1918 - UWDC - NOW260

In 1950 Frank H. Nowell passed and left us his photographic legacy.  I wonder if there are still any glass plates in the basement?

Frank Hamilton Nowell

1864 - 1950

You'll Like Tacoma

 Originally published 12/9/2020

Credit - Clayton Kauslaric

The Klondike Gold Rush of 1897 offered Seattle a unique opportunity for growth and visibility on the World stage.  Folks heading north to make their fortune in the Alaskan goldfields bought their supplies and boarded ships in downtown Seattle which had eight years prior been totally reduced to ashes by the Great Fire of 1889.  Successful prospectors returning by ship disembarked at those same docks and left much of their new wealth with local businesses.  

Twelve years later, in 1909, Seattle hosted Washington’s first World’s Fair in order to promote growth by highlighting the connections between the city and local resources, riches to the north and the entire Pacific Rim.  It was called the Alaska, Yukon, Pacific Exposition or AYPE.  The event ran from June 1^st through October 15^th. 

During that 4 ½ month period special events were staged to draw fair-goers from far and wide, in part, by highlighting other cities and states.  On “Kansas Day,” Kansans were issued sunflower badges and treated to a giant picnic.  “Oregon Day” featured a performance by the “Portland Festival Chorus” a promenade and a dance.  On “Bellingham Day” souvenir postcards, fresh Whatcom County cherries and sample bags of rich soil the cherries had grown in were given out.