The Big Green House: Thanks for the Memories

Posted on February 17, 2015 by Wedgwood in Seattle History
In one hour the hundred-year-old Big Green House was reduced to rubble.

In one hour the hundred-year-old Big Green House was reduced to rubble.

On February 17, 2015, the hundred-year-old Big Green House at 7321 35th Ave NE came to the end of its lifespan and to me, it felt like the death of a friend.

The Big Green House was like an eccentric, misunderstood person, perceived by some as spooky because of the way the house loomed up over the surrounding business district.  In getting to know it, I found the Big Green House to be more like an elderly person with long-held memories of bygone days.

The Big Green House was clothed in the architectural preferences of long ago and will now be replaced by the newest design trend in commercial districts in Seattle:  townhouse buildings with live-work units at the sidewalk level.

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Seattle Spring Season Plant Tours

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Wedgwood in Seattle History
Arthur Lee Jacobson, Seattle tree expert

Arthur Lee Jacobson, Seattle tree expert

Arthur Lee Jacobson is a Seattle resident with a life-long passion for plants.  He writes, teaches, and does hands-on gardening work for individuals and businesses.  As the season turns to spring, Mr. Jacobson leads walking tours of Seattle’s trees and plants.

Mr. Jacobson shares his enthusiasm and expertise through his walking tours in which people can benefit from personal interaction.  He says that “exploring Seattle plant occurrence, noting flowering and fruiting times, tasting edibles, and conversing, is a joy.”

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The Great Backyard Bird Count 2015

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Wedgwood in Seattle History

You can learn more about birds and help scientific efforts at the same time by participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count of 2015.

Count us, please, for the GBBC!

Count us, please, for the GBBC!

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of bird populations. Participants are asked to count birds for as little as fifteen minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the event, Friday through Monday, February 13 to 16, 2015, and report their sightings online.

Anyone can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, from beginning bird watchers to experts.  Bird-identification and other helps are available on the GBBC page.  Don’t want to go out in the cold and rain?  No problem, you can participate from your kitchen window by simply counting the birds you see out in your yard.

If you are new to the count, first register online.  In 2014 there were GBBC participants in 135 countries, compiling data on the distribution and abundance of birds.  During this year’s count you will be able to see the photos and lists pouring in from all over the globe.

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Always a 12

Posted on February 3, 2015 by Wedgwood in Seattle History
Go Seahawks! Never give up!

Go Seahawks! Never give up!

The Mayor of Seattle has issued a proclamation with a petition which can be signed electronically, to thank the Seattle Seahawks football team for their heart and determination.

We commend the teamwork, discipline, dedication, practice and never-give-up spirit of the Seattle Seahawks.  We the “12s” have learned from their example and we will cheer them on — for next time!  Never give up!

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Requiem for the Big Green House

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Wedgwood in Seattle History
The Big Green House at 7321 35th Ave NE is boarded up and awaiting demolition.

The Big Green House at 7321 35th Ave NE was boarded up and awaiting demolition in 2015.

Some neighborhoods of Seattle have any number of houses which are one hundred years old or older, but in Wedgwood the number of hundred-year-old houses is very small.   One was the Big Green House at 7321 35th Ave NE which continued to stand while the arterial 35th Avenue NE became increasingly dominated by commercial structures.

A developer had owned the site since 2002 but he never went forward with redevelopment plans.  Finally he sold the site to another developer and demolition took place on February 17, 2015, to replace the Big Green House with a cluster of townhouses.

Wedgwood is a neighborhood of northeast Seattle which was very thinly populated and was outside the Seattle City Limits until after World War Two.  When the war ended in 1945, demand for housing jumped as soldiers returned to civilian life, married and started families.  For that reason, Wedgwood has a large number of houses built in the 1940s and later.  On some streets one can see a few old houses from 1910-1930 with “infill” where newer houses from 1940+ have filled up the lots.  The Big Green House is on what later became a major arterial, 35th Avenue NE, and the house stood alone as a residential structure surrounded by storefront buildings.

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Wedgwood Memories: If a House Could Talk

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Wedgwood in Seattle History
Property photo taken in 1972 for the tax assessors office. The writing on the photo is the plat name of Pontiac, with block number and address.

Property photo taken in 1972 by the property tax assessors office. The writing on the photo is the plat name of Pontiac, with block number and address.  Photo courtesy of the Puget Sound Regional Archives.

If houses could talk!  We can just imagine all the memories of Wedgwood neighborhood life from our childhood days, which a house could tell.

In this guest post from Carleen Ormbrek Zimmerman who is one of the Seattle Urban Sketchers, Carleen captures poignant moments of remembering the joys of her parents’ home during the transition of turning over the house to a new owner.

The Seattle Urban Sketchers “see the world one drawing at a time.” They help us see Seattle through the eyes of artists with appreciation for color and detail.  Look down the right-side column of the Seattle Urban Sketchers page for the list of blog correspondents, including Carleen.

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The Road is OPEN!!!!!

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Wedgwood in Seattle History

Thornton Creek Confluence Project Construction Update:  January 16, 2015

Pedestrians enjoy the new sidewalk and overview of the flood plain for Thornton Creek at Meadowbrook.

Pedestrians enjoy the new sidewalk and overview of the flood plain for Thornton Creek at Meadowbrook. Photo by Valarie.

With the advantage of this week’s dry weather, the contractor was able to complete the remaining pieces of work in order to open 35th Ave NE.  The road had been closed since June 1, 2014, for creek reconfiguration and bridge construction at NE 107th Street in the Meadowbrook neighborhood.

As of this afternoon, 35th Ave NE is open to through traffic. Regular traffic flows, including Metro bus route 65, will resume and the sidewalks are open to pedestrians.

Over the next few weeks, occasional lane closures are anticipated due to streetscape improvements as part of the project.  Finishing touches will be ongoing within the flood plain area adjacent to 35th Ave NE (as pictured above on the east side of the road.)  Seattle Public Utilities issued thanks to everyone for their continued patience as construction is completed.

Northward view of the new bridge deck of 35th Ave NE in Meadowbrook, just minutes after the road opened on Friday, January 16, 2015

Northward view of the new bridge deck of 35th Ave NE in Meadowbrook, just minutes after the road opened on Friday afternoon, January 16, 2015. The field lights at left are for Nathan Hale High School. The brick building in the background is Jane Addams Middle School. Photo by Valarie.

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Meadowbrook Update: January 2015

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Wedgwood in Seattle History
Jason Sharpley of Seattle Public Utilities reviews the timeline of The Confluence work in 2014.

Jason Sharpley of Seattle Public Utilities reviews the timeline of The Confluence work in 2014.

On Tuesday evening, January 13, 2015 a roomful of people at the Meadowbrook Community Center, 10517 35th Ave NE, listened intently as Seattle Public Utilities Project Engineer Jason Sharpley reviewed the work done at The Confluence from May to December of 2014.  Of primary concern was the question, when will the road open?

To finish the concrete and road-building on 35th Ave NE at NE 107th Street, workers need two more days with NO rain, and with temperatures at 45 degrees or above.  One day, Wednesday January 14, had these ideal conditions.  Rain was predicted for the following days.  Whenever another clear day occurs, then the road work can be finished.  Therefore, if conditions are favorable the road should be open by the end of the month of January.

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The Sea Hawk

Posted on December 27, 2014 by Wedgwood in Seattle History

Valarie says:  Go Hawks!!!! Our thanks to Jay Taylor for this wonderful photo of an osprey, sometimes called a Sea Hawk because it inhabits marine environments. Go Hawks!!! Not sure how this bird feels about “12” but he does look game-ready!!

Sirfishalot's avatarSirfishalot's Blog

Well here we are at another years end and I hope you all had a great Christmas.
I didn’t get out for bird photography nearly enough this year, but I still have a bunch of images from past outings to keep this weekly series going. This weeks bird is an Osprey, also known by some as a Sea Hawk as they tend to inhabit marine areas and feed primarily on fish.
Our Seattle Seahawks football team is poised to make another run at the playoffs and hopefully get back to the Superbowl. If they defeat the St. Louis Rams on Sunday they will have clinched the NFC West title and have home field advantage throughout the playoffs and that would be awesome. Looking forward to the coming New Year and hope that all of you and your families will be well and prosperous. And oh yeah; GO HAWKS!!!

Osprey (

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December in Wedgwood: Happy Holidays

Posted on December 24, 2014 by Wedgwood in Seattle History

Christmas villageSnow for a white Christmas is not likely in Wedgwood this year but the village atmosphere of the neighborhood lends itself to a festive and cheerful holiday season.  Now the frantic activity around the Wedgwood Post Office and the Hunter Tree Farm has subsided, and many stores are closed for Christmas.  Neighborhood residents will take a rest for the holiday and churches will celebrate the Newborn King.

Who is this Newborn King?  The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.  We have seen His glory, Who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.  Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  To all who receive Him, to those who believe in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.  (Gospel of John, chapter 1.)

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