Category Archives: Residential

Housing in all forms

Franke Tobey Jones

12601965273_abd3f52f71_bFranke Tobey Jones at 5340 N Bristol St, Tacoma, WA 98407 is not-for-profit senior community with independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing facility and it has lovely grounds. I was there to hear a talk about the woman for which the center was named.The center opened in 1925. Franke Tobey Jones, who provided the building site and the funds for the original building, was the wife of Charles Jones, who was associated with the Tacoma Lumber Company. It originally housed 65 residents each with their own room and shared bath. Over the years there was considerable expansion to the facility that it is today.

Mrs. Jones herself never lived in the facility. She was however an amazing woman who crossed the continent 85 times, as well as traveled to such far-flung places as Japan and China, She was born on May 22, 1845 (the same day as me, but different year) and passed away on April 25, 1941. She is buried next to her husband in the Tacoma Mausoleum.

http://www.franketobeyjones.com/

 

Asahel Curtis’ Seattle Home in 1916

12532231773_ed25a9071e_cThis house, which sold in the summer of 2013 for $935,000 was constructed in 1913 and per Tacoma Public Library it was occupied in 1916 by Asahel Curtis and his wife, Florence. The house is located in the 1100 block of 36th Avenue and has a view of Lake Washington, the city skyline of Bellevue and Mt Rainier. Asahel Curtis and his brother, Edward Curtis, were well known photographers. They had a parting of ways in about 1900 and never reconciled. Asahel married Florence in 1902 and in 1911 he established his own photography studio.

While I was wandering around in Seattle, I stumbled upon a charming little free library in a newspaper box. I also found a group of four friends taking a dip in a very chilly Lake Washington. Altogether a good day!

Seahawks House III

12275749606_e7809ffb49_c(2)You have to admire somebody who would paint his fence in Seahawks colors! This house is located on the corner of South ‘M’ Street and South 62nd. If you look close you can see one of the owner’s two dobermans barking at me! Go hawks!

Seahawks House in University Place

12183784515_de2d44d003_bThe house along 67th Avenue West near its intersection with 36th Street West obviously belongs to a Seahawks fan! Let’s hope that the enthusiastic decorating job brings the Seahawks luck in the Superbowl!

The Lexington Apartments

11002379335_b5b44425eb_o(1)The Lexington Apartments at 8720 58th Ave SW, Lakewood, WA 98499 has three floorplans (1, 2 and 3 bedrooms). It was pretty dark when I got there and worse when I left, so my only photos were of the pumpkins on the end table and of the doormat. It looked like a nice apartment complex, well maintained. Their website is here.

 

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Salmon Beach

 

10374461144_05be38c531_b(1) I’ve been wanting to visit Salmon Beach ever since I learned that there was a Salmon Beach! Friday night I was invited to a soiree at one of the cabins. It was great! Good friends and food, and an amazing view of the Tacoma Narrows and the Narrows Bridge. We even saw a seal 🙂

From what I’ve read, the community started as fishing shacks, but in 1934 electricity was brought in and the shacks became cottages. They are an eclectic collection of homes accessed by going down a long series of stairs (more than 200) and then a path.

My only regret is that I didn’t walk down to find the mermaid sculpture. Guess I’ll just have to go back!

To read more about the history of Salmon Beach try this link.

 

 

Village Green Community

9648240685_10608232b6_bSo, I joined my dear husband at a couple of estate sales. One of which was in the Village Green Community, a seniors only mobile home park at 2904 84th St S, Lakewood, WA 98499. That’s cool since I’ve not used a mobile home park as my new place before. It’s a really nice park, with plenty of pride of ownership.

Maison Rouge Apartments

8752750392_20e85b8fdc_b(1)The lovely building at 202 North Tacoma Avenue is a fourplex with one office space on the lower floor and three apartment units on the upper floor. It was built as the Drum and Paulson Double House in 1886 with Daniels & Proctor being the architects. The property has a for sale sign out front.