I really admire those folks with passion and commitment to their art. This roadside attraction at 18212-18414 22nd Avenue, Tacoma (Spanaway) is an example of such personal drive. It is on a private residence with good visibility from the street. The property fronts on both 22nd Avenue (the rose) and 183rd Street Court East and my Roadside America App tells me the work is called Concrete Fantasia.
To go to the World of Tomorrow at the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, you would take the Bubbleator. It was a Plexiglas covered elevator that provided the riders (up to 100!) experience what it would be like in a bubble because of the way the light was refracted. The Bubbleator had originally been installed for the fair which the KeyArena Building is now, and it was later moved to the Seattle Center (Armory) and then taken out of that building by 1984. Wikipedia says “While boarding the Bubbleator, passengers were commanded by an ethereal female voice to “Please move to the rear of the sphere”, or the “Martian type” male elevator operator would say, “Step to the rear of the Sphere” in a creepy sci-fi type voice. The soundtrack for the Bubbleator was conducted by Attilio Mineo and released as Man in Space with Sounds.[2]“
The top part of the Bubbleator was purchased on bid and is now at a private residence in Des Moines. Dear husband and I stopped by to see it and snap some photos, but of course left the owners to their privacy. It’s not easy to impress dear husband, but he really liked this one! (and he also liked the Hobbit Hole from the day before.) It had been a greenhouse, but appeared to be empty when we went by though I hear that it might be a recording studio. There are some photos of it here and here. To see it in action see this news report. And there is a heartwarming story here.
We had an early start to the morning today, so we kept going up to the City of Snohomish because my dear husband adores going through antique stores. I walked the town, mostly avoiding the antique stores and ended up at the visitor center. The visitor center lady provided walking tour guides which told me about Soap Suds Row, a row of five mill houses used by the women who laundry for the mill workers and loggers. The homes, which were constructed in 1889, are darling little white cottages in a line. Four of the five have been restored and it is my understanding that they are rented to senior citizens, perhaps low income.
On the same block on the same side of the street is the 1887 Gingerbread House at 223 Avenue A. The walking tour tells me it is the most photographed house in Snohomish County. It is really a delightful residence, The Gingerbread House and the Soap Suds houses are part of one of Snohomish’s two historic districts.
After a trip to the Lakewood History Museum, I went off on their driving tour beginning with the Judge Wilson House (a private residence). The map can be found here.
This 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!
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!
The Cone/Reynolds House at 1244 South Ainsworth, Tacoma, was placed on the Tacoma Register of Historic Places in 1995. It was built in 1908 by Amanda Cone for the John W. Reynolds family. The original cost was about 5,000. Here is a link to the nomination form.
Each and every holiday this wonderful hedge dragon lights up to share the joy! It is across the street from the Moore Branch of the Tacoma Public Library (215 S 56th Ave Tacoma, WA 98408). I truly admire folks that go all out for the holidays! This holiday ledge dragon even has a Rudolph red nose! 🙂
The Home of Tomorrow is also known as the House of Tomorrow and the Smyser House and is located at 4907 66th Ave. E., Puyallup, WA 98371. The house was designed by Bert Smyser who is also known for designing the Tacoma landmark, Bob’s Java Jive. I became aware of the house when the Tacoma News Tribune ran an article on Mr. Smyser, mentioning this house and his other projects including a prototype of the Seattle Space Needle.
A photo of Bert Smyser can be found here http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/images/dt6n.asp?un=2&pg=1&krequest=Smyser&stemming=On&phonic=&fuzzy=&maxfiles=5000
The library also mentions that Mr. Smyser’s wife was a member of the Rubber Hat Club and sometimes modeled for them.
The all plywood, steamline moderne house was constructed in 1940 is under private ownership now, so I stayed on the side of the road to snap my photo. The site also fronts on Clark’s Creek. The house was listed for sale at one point and the listing can be found here http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4907-66th-Ave-E-Puyallup-WA-98371/49190659_zpid/.
The Adam Plenning Residence at 1524 S. Cushman St.,Tacoma, WA 1905 is a two story wood frame cottage with gable roof and cross gable that added to Tacoma Register by Resolution No.33231 on 12/5/1995.
The house is described as a “wall dormer which rests on a side first story three sided bay. There is a half round window with keystone in the front end gable end. Gables have returned eaves and dentils. Windows are one over one double hung. The three sided front bay has hip roof. The over the door porch has a gable roof with small column supports and balustrade. The house is covered with clapboard siding.”
To see how the building looked when it was constructed, go here http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/buildings/bldg1image.asp?j=1&o=3&n=13098&i=9771#text