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1. GoGo
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   Is there ever a tour of historical homes in West Seattle? How does one find out about these things? Saw the Coleman Mansion on the Garden Tour and really wished I could get a look at the inside, it is really beautiful!

   Posted 10 months ago #         

2. jwws
   Member Profile

   

   GoGo,

   I'm not aware of any WS historical homes tour. Glad you enjoyed the Tagney-Jones garden (former Colman-Pierce estate) on this year's WS Garden Tour. Unfortunately this is a private residence and I don't think the owners open up their home to anything other than fundraising causes that are close to their hearts. It is a spectacular gem in WS though and the WSGT was proud to have the garden on this year's tour.

   Posted 10 months ago #         

3. GoGo
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   I was hoping they might want to adopt me! :)

   Posted 10 months ago #         

4. jwws
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   Me too!!!

   Posted 10 months ago #         

5. JanS
   Member Profile

   

   there used to be a Historical Homes Tour every May ..my daughter and I always went. We were inside many homes..it was always fun. Wish they would start it again :) I remember the Schmitz home being on the tour, as well as the mansion at 37th and Olga being on there for a couple of years when it was a B $ B

   Posted 10 months ago #         

6. yarncore
   Member Profile

   JanS - I was just going to say this! I miss those tours, we always had so much fun! My favorite was one up on the hill northwest of 49th & Admiral. It had a gorgeous yard and view.

   Posted 10 months ago #         

7. yarncore
   Member Profile

   Oh, and that Schmitz home has a whopper of a driveway.

   Posted 10 months ago #         

8. WSB
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   The all-volunteer Southwest Seattle Historical Society, run from the Log House Museum on Alki, might be interested to hear about interest ... check 'em out at http://loghousemuseum.info .. maybe even drop them a note.

   Posted 10 months ago #         

9. JanS
   Member Profile

   

   The Historical Society ran them when they existed. Maybe they ran out of houses that would accommodate people walking through.

   Posted 10 months ago #         

10. GoGo
    Member Profile

    

    I just sent them an email, will let you all know what they say. I also signed up with the Seattle Historical Society, we'll see if they do anything.

    Posted 10 months ago #         

11. Gina
    Member Profile

    

    The home tours were a pet project of "Mrs Dorothy" (Dorothy Poplawski). I think she knew just about everyone in West Seattle. Since her death there haven't been any tours.

    Posted 10 months ago #         

12. dyn99
    Member Profile

    

    Does anyone know if there is any sort of written history on historic homes in West Seattle?

    That would be a great website to put up if there isn't currently one. Especially if it was in conjunction with a tour.

    Also, what is the Schmitz home?

    Posted 10 months ago #         

13. yarncore
    Member Profile

    I think there are more than one home in West Seattle that were built/owned by the Schmitz family, but the one we are talking about is across the street from Emma Schmitz park and next to Mee Kwa Mooks. It has a steep driveway.

    Posted 10 months ago #         

14. JanS
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    It's down on Beach Drive, not far from Emma Schmitz park...the Schmitz family were early pioneers of West Seattle.

    Posted 10 months ago #         

15. westseattledood
    Member Profile

    

    I second TR's suggestion to contact SWSHS. There is AMAZING information down there on West Seattle. Moreover, I suggest you guys JOIN the society. They always need volunteers and energy and boy, the work some folks have done to research and promote our history is so, so cool.

    Posted 10 months ago #         

16. GoGo
    Member Profile

    

    Here's what the SWSHS said:

    Hi Margo,

    We used to do a yearly Historical Homes Tour, but have not done one since about 2005. It was a huge drain on our volunteer pool, so it has been moved to the back burner. We may do one in the future, but as of now there are no firm plans.

    Sarah Frederick

    Museum Manager
    Log House Museum
    3003 61st Ave SW
    Seattle, WA 98116

    206-938-5293

    Maybe if a bunch of us volunteered they could do another one.

    Posted 10 months ago #         

17. The Velvet Bulldog
    Member Profile

    You all can come to my house: a rental, built in about 1930 that is seriously tilted. We can watch it sink into the ground. Some of the gutters are about to fall off too, so that would be exciting.

    Posted 10 months ago #         

18. miws
    Member Profile

    

    We can watch it sink into the ground.

    TVB, do we need to bring our own popcorn? ;-)

    Mike

    Posted 10 months ago #         

19. Elizagrace
    Member Profile

    How can we help get the tour going again? Fundraiser? Pure WSB god old fashioned donations? I was too young/busy/away at college to appreciate these tours when they did them and now that I am older and wiser(?) I would love to participate!

    Posted 10 months ago #         

20. GoGo
    Member Profile

    

    Apparently we all need to volunteer our time to the SWHS. I'm going to go by there hopefully this weekend and see what needs to be done.

    Posted 10 months ago #         

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