Shoreline Historical Museum Trillium Award winners revealed

Trillium Award Winners 2013
From Left: Chris Purdy and son Ollie, Shoreline Trillium Heritage Award;
Virginia Mallary, Mercy and Jerry Gipson, North Seattle Trillium Heritage Award;
Ronda and Ray Holmdahl, Lake Forest Park Trillium Heritage Award
Photo courtesy Shoreline Historical Museum

As part of its Preservation Recognition Program, the Shoreline Historical Museum gave its 8th Annual Trillium Heritage Awards to three deserving contestants in North Seattle, Lake Forest Park and Shoreline. All of the award winners have worked to keep the historical integrity of their buildings intact, giving their surrounding communities depth and meaning that might otherwise have been lost.

1936 photo of Rest View Sanitarium
Photo courtesy King County Archives

The award for North Seattle went to recipients Jerry and Mercy Gipson, and daughter Virginia Mallary, owners of what was once the Rest View Sanitarium at 12510 - 6th NW. Built in 1919 on 6th Avenue NW and NW 125th Street in Broadview, the manor took up five acres on the northeast corner. The home was built as a retreat from the cares of the city, and was owned by Dr. and Mrs. Pearl Eugene McCoy from 1922 to 1950.  It became the Rest View University of Chiropractic in the 1930’s. 

1952 photo of Lake Forest Park Dutch Colonial
Photo courtesy King County Archives

Accepting the award for a historic building in Lake Forest Park were Ronda and Ray Holmdahl, owners of the 1930 Dutch Colonial in the Seattle Suburban Home Tracts at 14531 - 37th Avenue NE. There were very few other places nearby when the home was built in what is now the very southern reaches of Lake Forest Park, and must have felt very secluded. Several families have resided there, including the A. J. Van Skyhawkes, and it is said that General Lacey Murrow was associated with the house.

Fish Family - Queen City Poultry Ranch farmhouse, ca 1910.
Shoreline. Photo courtesy SHM

The Trillium Heritage Award for the Shoreline area was accepted by Chris Purdy and son Ollie for the iconic Fish family farmhouse at the Queen City Poultry Ranch, at 15710 - Greenwood Avenue N. Built in about 1903, it was the only settled place on Greenwood. Nearly the whole Fish family from “back east” took up residence in the surrounding area. They had one of largest and most modern chicken farms in the Northwest, and people came from everywhere to see the operations. The house was beautifully restored several years ago by Martha Rose Construction, and the Purdy-Strand family was delighted to find a home with such character and history. Several of the Fish family members were on hand to witness the presentation of the award.

The Shoreline Historical Museum’s Trillium Heritage Awards raise awareness of the community’s roots, and encourages excellence in the maintenance and perpetuation of historic buildings in accordance with their original style. Congratulations to the 2013 winners.