Seattle Landmarks: Bowen Bungalow (1913)

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Address: 715 W Prospect Street, Seattle. Betty Bowen (1918-1977) was a patron of Seattle arts, a founding member of the Northwest Arts and Crafts Center, and an organizer of the Friends of the Market. She supported the careers of Mark Tobey, Richard Gilkey, and Morris Graves. This bungalow was her home.

A bungalow is typically a one-story residence with a roof that extends beyond the body of the house. The Seattle bungalow style included a gabled roof and a spacious front porch. O.J. Callahan built this bungalow in 1913 with plans by Harris and Coles. It was sited at the end of a brick and cobblestone cul-de-sac on Queen Anne Hill, with expansive views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.

The structure was modified in 1917 with the addition of a garage. Other changes were made over the years.

In 1977, Seattle Mayor Wes Uhlman (b. 1935) named Betty Bowen "First Citizen of Seattle." On September 10, 1984, her home was designated a Seattle Landmark.

Sources:
Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Landmarks Preservation Board, 700 Third Avenue, 4th Floor, Seattle, Washington; Lawrence Kreisman, Made to Last: Historic Preservation in Seattle and King County, (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1999), 55.

By David Wilma, April 18, 2001

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Related Topics: Seattle Neighborhoods | Landmarks | Buildings |

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This essay made possible by:
The SCHOONER Project:
The Hon. Jan Drago
Seattle City Council
Seattle Department of Neighborhoods

Bowen Bungalow, 2001
Photo by David Wilma