HARD DRIVE TO THE KLONDIKE:
PROMOTING SEATTLE DURING THE GOLD RUSH
A Historic Resource Study
for the Seattle Unit of the
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
CHAPTER SIX
Historic Resources in the Modern Era
Woodson Apartments
| Property 8 | Woodson Apartments 1820 24th Avenue Seattle, WA |
Tax Parcel No. 982870-2660 Legal Description: Yesler's H. L. Second Addition Supplemental, Blk. 51, Lot 6 National Register Status: Unlisted |
Architectural Description
The Woodson Apartments, known today as the Cascade View Apartments, have undergone numerous alterations over the years. This two-story rectangular building is located on the east side of 24th Avenue and stretches from the street to an alley east of the property. The building originally had a two-story porch that protruded from the center of the east facade to shelter the main entrance on the first floor and a similar space at the second level. The second-story porch had a low-pitched gable roof supported by classical columns. The same style columns also supported the porch at the first level. A cornice once extended across the principle facade and around the building's north and south corners.
Today, the architectural details that once characterized the Woodson Apartments have been removed. The two-story porch has been replaced with a simple metal awning over the main entrance. A metal railing borders the concrete stairway leading to the entrance. The cornice has been removed and the original double hung windows have been replaced with aluminum frame versions. The east side of the building is covered in a composite concrete and the rest of the building is clad in vinyl.
Historical Significance
In 1908, Zacharias and Irene Woodson built this apartment anticipating that the AYP would increase the demand for housing in Seattle. According to Esther Mumford's Seattle's Black Victorians, the Woodsons came to Seattle in 1897 and operated rooming houses during the first three decades of the century. [48] Seattle City Directories list Zacharias as a "bootblack" in 1899. By 1903, however, Zacharias is listed as being the proprietor of a rooming house at 1216 Second Avenue In 1909, the Woodsons are listed as the proprietors of both the Woodson Apartments and a rooming house at 1530 Fifth Avenue. [49] This property represents the growth Seattle experienced due to the AYP.
