Overview

Seattle architect Barden G. Erickson designed this wood-frame residence for Walter C. Petersen and Nancy Benson Petersen, who married on 07/24/1953.

Building History

The architect Barden G. Erickson (1930-2023) designed this house for the Dr. Walter C. Petersen (born 10/03/1928 in Dallas, TX-d. 04/04/2016 in Seattle, WA) and his wife Nancy Sue Benson (born 02/01/1930 in Harlowton, MT-d. 06/16/2020 in Seattle, WA) in 1963-1964. Walter C. Petersen attended the University of Washington as a pre-med major in 1951 and attended the UW School of Medicine. His residency was spent at the Johns Hopkins University's Wilmer Eye Institute in Baltimore, MD. Peterson worked at Seattle's Swedish Medical Center as an opthalmologist. (See Seattle Times.com, "Walter C. Petersen M.D., 1928-2016," published 04/10/2016, accessed 12/11/2023.) He and Nancy had three children: Katherine Petersen, James Petersen and Michael Petersen.

Nancy Petersen returned to the UW to study painting in the 1980s, and became an artist thereafter.

In addition to this dwelling, the family also had a vacation house in Sun Valley, ID and Nancy spent winters in Palm Desert, CA, later in life. She died following a long struggle with Alzheimer's Disease.

The Petersens got a divorce in King County on 08/06/1986 after being married for 33 years. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington, Divorce Index, 1968-1996, accessed 12/11/2023.) As part of the divorce settlement, on 08/06/1986, Walter Petersen transferred the dwelling’s deed to his ex-wife.

Nancy Petersen's heirs sold the property on 06/04/2019 to Joseph V. and Natasha W. Debons for $1,925,000. They, in turn, sold it at a significant profit to John and Natalie Coombs, who purchased it for $2,722,000 on 12/31/2020.

Building Notes

This 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath single-family residence had an asking price of $2.25 million in 01/2019. (See Matt Goyer, Urban Living.com, "Madison Park Mid-Century, Original Owner!" published 01/22/2019, accessed 12/11/2023.)

The house occupied a 9,025-square-foot (0.21-acre) lot, and contained 2,280 square feet on its main floor with a 960-square-foot basement. The basement had 540 finished square feet.

Alteration

The building's exterior has been painted a dark color, popular at the time, but not in keeping with its Pacific Northwest Regional Modern style.