OpenStreetMap (new tab)

Google Map (new tab)

Google Streetview (new tab)

Overview

The Columbia Lumber Company opened this complex of two buildings by either late 1929 or early 1930, a large warehouse (at 3917 University Way NE) and a Neo-Classical office building (3935 University Way NE) to the north.

In later years, the University of Washington purchased and reused the Columbia office building for its own offices.

Building History

There were a number of lumber companies using the name "Columbia" in their titles during the period 1910-1930, and some of these entities bought and sold outlets to one another during this period, making their histories difficult to disentangle. There were entities called the "Columbia Valley Lumber Company (CVLC)" and the "Columbia Lumber Company (CLC)" during the 1920s. In 1925, the CLC bought CVLC yards in Kirkland, Lynden, Ferndale and Everson, WA. and, in 02/1928, CLC purchased six more retail yards from the CVLC in Wenatchee, Cashmere, Mansfield, Dryden and Monitor, WA. On its own, CLC opened new retail yards in Bellevue and Redmond, WA, in 1926 and two more in Seattle and Stanwood in 1927. (See "6 Lumber Yards Are Bought in Wenatchee Deal," Seattle Daily Times, 02/05/1928, p. 25.)

Businessman William C. Miller (d. 10/16/1936 in Seattle, WA), had formerly worked as a manager of the CVLC and later established the CLC, that operated in the 3900 block of University Way beginning in 1930. After its formation in 1925, Miller made a number of deals to enlarge the firm, including the ones mentioned above that gave the CLC 14 retail outlets by 1928. The Seattle Daily Times noted that the CLC was an employee-owned business. It stated: "An unusual feature of the new company is that the capital stock is owned largely by the yard managers, employes [sic] and others in the different communities.The Columbia Lumber Company has no connection with the Columbia Valley Lumber Company, but was a separate corporation organized in 1925 by W.C. Miller, R.A. Thompson, C.W. Miller and J.P. McEvoy as incorporators. Officer of he company W.C. Miller, Seattle, president; C.W. Miller, Skykomish, vice-president; R.A. Thompson, Lynden, secretary; H.E. Halberg, Seattle, treasurer; J.H. Bloedel, C.R. Farr, Lester Turner, Jr., Joseph Barto, all of Seattle, and J.P. McEvoy, Kirkland, trustees." (See "6 Lumber Yards Are Bought in Wenatchee Deal," Seattle Daily Times, 02/05/1928, p. 25.)

Miller died of a heart attack in his office at 3935 University Way on 10/16/1936.

The firm also was building speculative houses in Seattle by 1927. (See "Tomorrow's the Day to Dig!" Seattle Daily Times, 08/27/1927, p. 3.)

Building Notes

According to a court case mentioned in a Seattle Daily Times article of 08/30/1912, Charles Schlagel and H.R. Kneisley began the process of incorporating an entity called the "Columbia Lumber Company" on 01/29/1910. This article reported: "It is charged that on January 29, 1910, Charles Schlagel and H.R. Kneisley employed [lawyer John G.] Barnes to incorporate for them the Columbia Lumber Company, and that Kneisley gave Barnes a check for $40 on Barnes' representation that that amount would be necessary to pay of filing the incorporation papers at Olympia and for the first year's license fee. Barnes is accused of cashing the check and appropriating the money to his own use." (See "Charges Preferred against Attorney," Seattle Daily Times, 08/13/1912, p. 32.)

In 1918, the Columbia Lumber Company had its lumber yard and office at 5001 Rainer Avenue in Seattle. (See "Special Sale on Doors," Columbia Lumber Company classified advertisement, Seattle Daily Times, 04/14/1918, p. 13.) By 1926, this location was known as the "Kneisley Lumber Company," and its property was bought by Columbia Lumber Company, presumably the interest owned by Schlagel or his successors. A classified advertisement for the Kneisley Company said in 1926: "The Columbia Lumber Company will take over our property on December 1. In order to have everything sold by this time, we are offering all stock left such as doors, windows, mouldings, wallboard, cedar siding, roofing, building papers, common and finish lumber, etc., at very low prices. Good only until November 30. Kneisley Lumber Company, 5015 Rainier Ave. (See "Clean-up Prices on Lumber," classified ad, Seattle Daily Times, 11/22/1926, p. 21.) In 1929, the Columbia Lumber Company, controlled by William Miller, operated a retail lumber outlet at 5015 Rainier Avenue. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1929, p. 2095.) This was likely the Seattle location added by Miller in 1927.

The Columbia Lumber Company operated at 3903-3935 University Way in 1935. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1935, p. 1745,)

In 1936, the Columbia Lumber Company operated a branch in Bellevue, WA. (See "Burglars Raid Bellevue Safes," Seattle Daily Times, 12/19/1936, p. 3.)

Demolition

The Columbia Lumber Company Store and Offices was demolished on 08/29/2023 to make way for new University of Washington buildings on its developing West Campus.