HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY & INVENTORY Redmond, Washington Principal Investigators: Kate Krafft & Lisa Melton King County Historic Preservation Program Office of Business Relations and Economic Development 701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2000 Seattle, WA 98104 Submitted to: City of Redmond Planning & Community Development P.O. Box 97010 (15670 NE 85th Street) Redmond, WA 98073-9710 Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation 1063 S. Capitol Way, Suite 106 P.O. Box 48343 Olympia, WA 98504 September 2005 , ' Historic Resources Survey & Inventory Redmond, WA This project was financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior administered by the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. The contents and opinions contained herein do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of either of these agencies. Regulations of the U.S. Department oflnterior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination in departmental Federally Assisted Programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or handicap. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility operated by a recipient of Federal assistance should write to: Director, Equal Opportunity Program, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240 -4 CULTURE kll'fG C0l/HTY 1.001:UH0 T.tX This project was supported in part by the lodging tax fund administered by 4Culture, the Cultural Development Authority of King County, Seattle, Washington. 11 Historic Resources Survey & Inventory Redmond, WA Executive Summary The physical development of the City of Redmond was shaped in a significant way by changing means of transportation. From rowboats to railroad and wagon roads to freeways, these transportation modes facilitated timber clearing, lumber milling and subsequent agricultural activities that were superseded by modem suburban residential development. Today, a diverse collection of extant historic properties tell the story of Redmond's history, growth and expansion. During the spring and summer of 2005, comprehensive field investigation was undertaken in order to fully identify and document extant historic resources located within the Redmond city limits. The project was conducted by the King County Historic Preservation Program under contract to the City of Redmond. It was funded in part by a grant from the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. This project was also supported in part by the lodging tax fund administered by 4Culture, the Cultural Development Authority of King County. All properties constructed prior to 1940 were examined for potential inclusion in the City of Redmond Historic Resource • Inventory (HRI). The project did not include identification of pre-historic or historic archeological resources. Approximately 200 properties were examined, of which 144 properties were recorded on field forms. Of those properties, 79 were selected for inclusion in the HRI, including 29 properties previously identified and/or recorded in a limited 1998 survey and inventory · project. Additional survey and inventory work will be required to identify significant post-1940 historic resources. Historic properties in Redmond are associated with four of the five distinct periods of population growth and physical development: • Euro-American Settlement (1870-1888) • Railway and Logging Era (1889-1911) • City Incorporation/Roadway & Infrastructure Development (1912-1929) • Economic Depression & War (1930-1945) • Post-war Suburbanization & Annexation (1946-1980) The properties documented in this project were analyzed to develop the findings and recommendations included in this report. The HRI data is intended to be used for preservation planning purposes, public education, and as a basis for evaluating, prioritizing and nominating properties for potential local and/or regional landmark designation and listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Copies of the complete Historic Resource Inventory are located at the offices of the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP); the King County Office of Business Relations and Economic Development; the Redmond Planning and Community Department; and, the Redmond Historical Society. Survey Area Map ( -- t1 ~ ____ .J ) ! I i : I ~ ,J j ' "'o,_ ~o "~ frn Areas not previously surveyed City of Redmond 0 1,200 2,400 4,800 7,200 9,600 Sept 2005 ER:C:ER:CEI::::::::~[I ==~I ::=::=31 Feet Historic Resources Survey & Inventory Redmond, WA Survey Area Map Contents Project Background ......................................... ................. ......... .....· ... .. ..... 1 Research Design ...................................................................................... 3 Historical Overview ....... .... .............. ..................................... ..... ............... 5 Survey Results & Findings .......................................................................... 9 Recornrnendations ................................................................................... 12 Appendices A. Bibliography B. HRI Master List (by Site Number with Address) Master Map lll Historic Resources Survey & Inventory Redmond, WA PROJECT BACKGROUND The City of Redmond is located in northwest King County at the north end of Lake Sammamish in the Sammamish River valley. Redmond is distinguished by a significant .... ,,1 concentration of historic properties located within its historic commercial and residential '-l core near the old Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway and Redmond-Kirkland Road alignments. Since 1980, Redmond has experienced extraordinary population growth and development. Today, while the historic commercial core is partially sunounded by intact early residential plats, most of the surrounding former fam1lands are now zoned and developed for light industrial uses and auto-oriented residential and commercial development. Remnant agricultural activity and historic residential properties are scattered throughout the corporate city limits. Efforts to identify historic resources in Redmond began in 1978 when King County . conducted a countywide survey and inventory project. Four properties were identified [HRI#s 0103, 0287, 0523, 0525]. Three additional historic properties were subsequently identified [HRI#s 0721, 0780, 0842]. In 1998, the City of Redmond obtained a grant from the King County Landmarks and Heritage Commission and undertook a more · comprehensive survey and inventory effort. However, due to financial and time considerations, the number of historic properties that were surveyed was limited and the . field survey concentrated on selected geographic subareas. Thus, numerous properties within the remainder of the city were not identified or documented. Due to financial and time constraints only 22 additional properties were recorded on inventory forms as part of that effort. The criteria used to evaluate historic properties for inclusion in the HRI were not clearly defined and numerous eligible properties were not included in the Redmond Historic Resources Inventory (HRI). In 2000, the City adopted historic preservation planning policies, per Ordinance No. 2080, and identified 16 key historic properties as City of Redmond landmarks. In 2003, the City adopted Ordinance 2164 [RCDG Chapter20], which implemented regulations establishing a local Landmark Commission, a nomination and designation process for listing in the Redmond Heritage Resource Register (as a City of Redmond Landmark) preservation incentives, and adopted design guidelines for a downtown subarea. Furthermore, City of Redmond Ordinance 2164 included regulations allowing that an historic property listed in the National Register of Historic Places, Washington Heritage Register and/or designated as a Regional (King County) Landmark shall be deemed a City of Redmond Landmark. Ordinance 2164 also established a Regional Landmarks Commission (King County Landmarks Commission) and adopted the nomination and designation provisions of King County Code 20.62 in order for property owners to qualify for a variety of historic preservation incentive programs not available per the local designation status, listing in the Redmond Heritage Resource Register. In 2004, the City entered into an interlocal agreement with King County to provide historic preservation services, including designation and protection services, design review according to KCC 20.62 and/or other services related to the identification and preservation of historic resources. 1 Historic Resources Survey & Inventory Redmond, WA A comprehensive citywide update of the Redmond HRl was undertaken during the spring and summer of 2005. The King County Historic Preservation Program, under contract with the City of Redmond, conducted the project. Survey Area The survey area included all land area within the current City of Redmond corporate limits, covering approximately 9,991 acres. In addition, the survey included City-owned properties adjacent to but outside the current city limits, and one adjacent planning area under consideration for annexation. The survey area did not include the City of Redmond Watershed Park, an 800-acre undeveloped forestland. Initial field examination focused on properties located within specific subareas that were not examined during the 1998 survey and inventory project. (See Survey Area Map). All previously inventoried properties were reexamined