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Overview

This two-story, wood-frame residence stood at 105 Republican Street, what is now across the street from the Seattle Opera House. H. Ambrose Kiehl, a civil engineer who was trained at the Ohio State University, came west in the early 1890s, first settling in San Francisco. He relocated from San Francisco to Port Townsend, WA, c. 1892, where he later set up a civil engineering practice, Kiehl & Hogg. His business slowed by the mid-1890s, as Port Townsend's economic conditions deteriorated in competition with Seattle and under the influence of a financial depression that set in over the US in 1893. He moved to Seattle in 1895, where the economy wasn't much better, but he had the good fortune of meeting a US Army officer in charge of a large building project, the construction of Fort Lawton.

Building History

The civil engineer, Harold Ambrose Kiehl (1865-1942), and his wife, Louisa Jean Stockand (1868-1917), moved to Seattle from Port Townsend, WA, in 1895. Having met the US Army Quartermaster in charge of setting up Fort Lawton in Seattle, Kiehl began a long career consulting for the US Army. He worked on the initial survey of Fort Lawton and later lived in two residences on the base until c. 1905. According to the Queen Anne Historical Society, Robinson showed great confidence in the OH-born Kiehl. Its web site stated: "Robinson appointed Ambrose Civil Engineer for the [Fort Lawton] project, responsible for surveying, clearing, grading, and platting the fort. Ambrose also supervised the construction of the fort, which was named after a Spanish American War hero." (See Queen Anne Historical Society, "H. Ambrose Kiehl House – 421 West Galer St.," accessed 01/13/2016.)The fort was named for US Army Major-General Henry Ware Lawton (1843-1899), who had a long and colorful Army career. Lawton died during the Spanish-American War in the Philippines at the Battle of San Mateo, on 12/19/1899, the highest ranking officer to die in combat during this conflict.

After residing in this house, Kiehl, his wife and two daughters moved to a two-story, board-and-batten house on the grounds of Fort Lawton, where they lived for a several years.

Demolition

This residence, now on the site of Seattle Center, was torn down before the start of the World's Fair in 1962.

PCAD id: 19933