Home › Forums › Open Discussion › 10th and Barton Christmas Doll House
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December 14, 2015 at 3:05 pm #829283
mehud7ParticipantI am almost of afraid of the answer, but do any Highland Park residents know why the red house on the northwest corner is not decorated this year?
December 14, 2015 at 3:46 pm #829439
miwsParticipantmehud, I had forgotten about that house!
In looking the place up on Parcel Viewer, I found that it had been sold to an “Investors Trust” in 1984.
In searching the name of the trust, found this blog page, that includes several WS are properties.
You’ll need to scroll down almost all the way to find the “doll house”.
https://walkingriverview.wordpress.com/history/empty-houses-rowe-houses/
I only skimmed the page, so didn’t find anything that may answer your question, other than the blog author mentions that the woman who “sold” the house in 1984, would be 104 now. Now I have something new that’s of WS interest to check out later! :-)
Mike
December 14, 2015 at 5:41 pm #829441
DBurnsParticipantThis is so sad to hear. I spoke with a neighbor before Halloween who said the house had been dark a few days and she’d tried to knock but no sign of Dale. I encouraged her to call the police for a well check. I purposely haven’t been by, fearing the worst, and it sounds like you’ve confirmed it. Dale hasn’t missed a year decorating for the last almost 20 that we’ve been here. It was a family tradition when my kids were young; year round ;)
I heard from neighbors a few years back that Dale was over 90 and he seemed like a happy (though odd!) man.
Thanks for posting.
December 14, 2015 at 5:46 pm #829442
WSBKeymasterTrying to see if I can find anything out about this. (Alan, whose site Mike linked, is a WSB commenter, I believe, and avid historian/community supporter, so he might know.) Just verifying – is it this house, which we featured in 2011?
https://westseattleblog.com/2011/12/west-seattle-christmas-lights-side-show-in-highland-park/
December 14, 2015 at 6:02 pm #829443
WSBKeymaster… never mind, it’s clear from the comments that this is the house. I can’t find evidence of an obituary for the owner, although not everyone turns up in the obits. Ownership hasn’t changed, either – it’s been the Minnesota Investors Trust since 1984. But there’s one thing to remember about Christmas decorations this year – the weather has been TERRIBLE for decorating (or keeping them up), windy, rainy; I just finally got out for a little bit yesterday afternoon to string some lights on our north hedge. Patrick heard a stat that if it doesn’t rain today, it’ll be the first day in three weeks with no rain. So maybe that’s the explanation? – TR
December 14, 2015 at 9:37 pm #829446
berthaParticipantI heard from a neighbor that Dale was seen being taken from the house in an ambulance several weeks ago but the neighbor doesn’t know why or his current status.
December 15, 2015 at 9:31 pm #829472
AJPParticipantI heard from a neighbor that he’d had a stroke, but that’s hear-say, of course. I don’t know if he’s in a home now or if he did pass away. It will be sad to lose such a quirky landmark in the neighborhood.
December 18, 2015 at 6:21 pm #829520
AlanParticipantI don’t know Dale or anyone that does, so I’m afraid that I can’t help with an update on him. Dale’s house is the one that is the best maintained of the “Rowe” houses.
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The Walking Riverview site that Mike provided the link to is mine. That page with the house was a result of my research of property, after I noticed that nearly every dilapidated West Seattle house I looked up belonged to the same person. I kept expecting a story to emerge, but I haven’t found it yet.
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This house is the only house that is owned by the Minnesota Investors Trust, as far as I can find. About half-way down the page, there is a map of the properties. If you click on the property icon (blue/black droplet), you can see any notes I might have on the property, but usually it is just a link to the King County Assessor’s site, so you can easily confirm the ownership. I have Zillow alerts for each of the houses, in case they transfer or go on the market.
December 18, 2015 at 7:56 pm #829523
PangolinPieParticipantAlan, that post about the Rowe houses is just fascinating! Back in the 90s, I lived in The James, the apartment building next door to the house on California. For the first year or so that I lived there, it was occupied; if I remember correctly it was by an eccentric older lady. I sure would be interested to find out WHY this guy doesn’t sell any of his sad abandoned properties.
December 18, 2015 at 8:53 pm #829524
AlanParticipantPangolinPie, you must have lived there in the early 90s. My brother owned the house (turned into Condo’s after he sold) on the other side from around 1992-1996 or so. As far as I recall, the Rowe house was always empty while he lived there.
I’m wondering if I should start another topic. This thread was created out of concern for Dale and I do not mean to divert the conversation.
December 18, 2015 at 9:41 pm #829525
PangolinPieParticipantYes, I lived there in 89-91, if I remember correctly. Thanks for all the research!
(P.S. I’m your new neighbor in Riverview!) ;)
December 18, 2015 at 9:45 pm #829526
AlanParticipantI kept thinking that the name sounded familiar! OK, we can continue this at HPIC!
December 20, 2015 at 5:01 pm #829560
mehud7ParticipantThank you for all of the information on Dale and the history of his house. I wish the best for Dale and hope to see the house decorated again in the future.
May 6, 2016 at 11:49 am #843015
mloebeParticipantI’m sad to read the posts about Dale but I’m still curious to find out if anyone knows anything more. I drive by the house every day and it’s looking uninhabited. I’m concerned about what happened to Dale and I’m concerned about potential trespassing by unwanted characters.
If anyone knows anything new about Dale I would very much like to hear.
Thanks
MikeMay 13, 2016 at 7:42 am #843871
mark harmanParticipantDale is my dad’s cousin. Last fall, he fell and broke his hip and is currently in an adult family home in Bellevue. It seems unlikely to me that he will recover enough to come home. By the way, he is about 75 years old.
Debbie
May 13, 2016 at 10:58 pm #843980
AJPParticipantThank you Debbie, I’m so sorry he broke his hip, and that he won’t be home to tend his little neighborhood landmark. Last Christmas wasn’t nearly as bright and cheery without all his displays.
May 18, 2016 at 12:42 pm #844443
mloebeParticipantThank you for the information Debbie. Very sorry to hear about his accident. Please let him know that his neighbors are concerned about him and hope that he recovers.
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