Rollin Valentine Ankeny (09/01/1865-10/1934) and his wife, Eleanor Randolph Ankeny, (1867-11/18/1947), lived in this house from 1891-1907; over this time span, Rollin Ankeny worked in many positions at the Puget Sound National Bank (which merged with the Seattle National Bank during the Panic of 1893), and, when he moved from this house, in 1907, was Cashier at the bank. In 1920, he acted as the bank's Vice-President. As a banker, Ankeny assisted in the financial dealings of a great many local companies. The Ankeny House was sold subsequently to Adolph Behrens, owner of Behrens Realty, whose family occupied it until the 1930s. At that time, Clarence L. and Harriet E. Gowey purchased the residence and lived there into the 1960s. Clarence Gowey became a pipefitter and steamfitter following employment at the Seattle Rubber Band Company.

This house's original address was 812 2nd Avenue West, before being renumbered, sometime after 1903. Eleanor Ankeny was known as "Nellie." The Ankeny House remains one of the best surviving Shingle Style/Queen Anne Style houses in Queen Anne, although no architect has been credited with its design. It is possible that it was an adaptation of a pattern book design.

PCAD id: 13631