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Overview

Lionel Pries and William J. Bain, Sr., designed this residence for an OH-born Seattle businessman and his wife in about 1930. Designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, the house reflected Pries's recent architectural experiences between 1923 and 1927 working in San Francisco and Santa Barbara, CA. In the latter city, particularly, the Spanish Colonial mode was particularly popular for costly residences. In addition, Pries specified that the foyer be floored with hexagonal tiles produced by the firm of Ernest Batchelder in Pasadena, CA.

Building History

Seattle architect William Bain, Sr., (1896-1985) and Lionel H. Pries (1897-1968) designed this waterfront, Spanish Colonial Revival house for Ralph Edwards Stewart (born 07/11/1876 in Blanchester, OH-d. 11/01/1960 in Seattle, WA) and Evelyn Reed Stewart (born 12/16/1882 in CO-d. 11/19/1977 in Mercer Island, WA). They wed in Paonia, CO, on 12/29/1901, when she was 19, he 25.

In 1932, Ralph Stewart served as President of the Watson-Hall Company (a fuel company) and the Stewart Lumber and Hardware Company and was also the manager of the Western Fuel Company. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1932, p. 1377.) He remained in the wholesale fuel business during his adult life.

Before building this large suburban residence, Ralph and Evelyn resided in an apartment at 1222 Summit Avenue, the Arcadia Apartments, built in 1916. They paid a hefty $90 per month rent for these accommodations, according to the 1930 US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 0132; FHL microfilm: 2342233, accessed 10/23/2024.)

The 1940 and 1950 US Censuses indicated that the Stewarts inhabited other places than 10455 Maplewood Place SW. In 1940, they were listed as living in a $20,000, waterfront house at 12235 12th Avenue NW in Seattle's posh Broadview neighborhood and, in 1950, at 100 West Highland Drive, Apartment #421 (in what is now the Victoria Condominums) . (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Broadview, King, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04343; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 17-33, accessed 10/23/2024 and Source Citation National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: 2803; Page: 7; Enumeration District: 40-329, accessed 10/23/2024.)

The Ramamurti Family has owned the former Stewart House since at least 2000. (See King County, Department of Assessment.gov, "Parcel Data for Parcel #932280-0050," accessed 10/23/2024.)

Building Notes

The City of Seattle, Department of Neighborhoods Landmarks Preservation Board voted on 10/16/2024 to nominate the Ralph and Evelyn Stewart House for Seattle Landmark status.

According to the King County Assessor, the Stewart House contained 2,610 square feet on its first floor, 1,540 on the second, and 600 finished square feet in its basement for a total of 4,750 square feet. The dwelling occupied a 97.242-square-foot (2.23-acre) lot facing west toward Elliott Bay. (See King County, Department of Assessment.gov, "Parcel Data for Parcel #932280-0050," accessed 10/23/2024.)