Structure Type: built works - dwellings - houses

Designers: Graham and Bodley, Architects (firm); Alfred Bodley (architect); John Graham Sr. (architect/engineer)

Dates: constructed 1905

2 stories

1808 East John Street
Miller Park, Seattle, WA 98112

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Overview

Originally, this was single-family dwelling, but at some point in its history was converted into multi-family housing.

Building History

The Seattle architectural firm of Graham and Bodley designed this residence for John Henry McWatters (born c. 1857 in Canada-d. 05/04/1919 in Penticton, BC, Canada), a Canadian by birth, who did a variety of jobs in Seattle, WA, between 1900 and about 1909. He lived in Minneapolis, MN, in 1885 and later wed Gula Mae Underwood on 12/25/1888 in his bride's hometown of Lansing, MI. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Minnesota, U.S., Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007, accessed 10/21/2021.) They had at least three children, Harry Arthur McWatters, Donald McWatters and Dorothy McWatters Stuart (born 07/06/1900 in Seattle, WA), and lived in this large house for about four years.

John McWatters was listed in Seattle city directories between 1900 and 1908 doing a variety of jobs. He was salesman for the Felitz Tent and Awning Company in 1901 and, a year later, acted as the Secretary of the Puget Sound Tent and Duck Company. (See Polk's Seattle Directory Company Seattle City Directory, 1901, p. 144 and Polk's Seattle Directory Company Seattle City Directory, 1902, p. 871.) In 1901-1902, he lived 117-119 West Yesler Way. By 1903, McWatters was the propietor of the Puget Sound Tent and Duck Company, living on the east side of Sunset Avenue, one block north of Spruce in the West Seattle neighborhood. (See Polk's Seattle Directory Company Seattle City Directory, 1903, p. 791.) By 1905, he was listed as being a bookkeeper and in 1907 and 1908, a railroad contractor. (See Polk's Seattle Directory Company Seattle City Directory, 1905, p. 819, Polk's Seattle Directory Company Seattle City Directory, 1907, p. 779, Polk's Seattle Directory Company Seattle City Directory, 1908, p. 869.)

He likely moved out of Seattle on or before 1910, as the city directories do not list him or his family thereafter. The house may have been sold around 1910 and converted to multi-family use.

Glenn W. and Amanda S. MacDonald owned the McWatters House in 2021, which at that time had become a six-room apartment house. They purchased it from Don R. Berrysmith on 03/22/2004 for $700,000.

Building Notes

The John H. McWatters House was listed as John Graham Project #2. (See John Graham and Company, Technical Files, John Graham Job Numbers, July 11.1974, typed and photocopied manuscript, possession of the author, accessed 10/08/2021.)

As shown in the 1912 Baist's Real Estate Atlas of Surveys of Seattle, the building at 1808 East John Street was originally L-shaped, and stood one lot east of the intersection of East John Street and North 18th Street on the north side of the former street.

In 2021, the McWatters House stood on a 4,778-square-foot (0.11-acre) lot, and contained 5,940 gross square feet (5,440 net).

Alteration

Aerial views taken in 2021 indicate that additions were made to the northeast corner of the house.