History of 1041 Alvarado Terrace, Walla Walla, WA
Property Description
Lot 11 in Block 14 of Green’s Park Addition to Walla Walla, according to the official plat thereof of record in the office of the Auditor of Walla Walla County, Washington, in Book “C” of Plats age page 28.
Title History
John Haley acquired a large tract of bare land containing this property from the United States Government during the term of President Andrew Johnson by Patent dated July 15, 1865. Haley sold the same lands, together with another parcel, less 26.81 acres of the original parcel, to William O. Green on October 7, 1867 for the sum of $1500. Green died in 1878. On December 30, 1895, Green’s surviving children Clarinda J. Smith, Anna B. Barnett, Philanda Green, and Mary O. Green deeded their interest in these and other lands to their mother, Mary Francis Green for a consideration of $1.
On July 23, 1903, Mary Francis Green recorded the original plat of Green’s Park Addition to the City of Walla Walla designating the subject property as Lot 11. On March 23, 1905, Mary Francis Green conveyed Lot 11 to Herbert A. Gardner for a consideration of $1550 conditioned on the construction of a dwelling house at a cost of not less than $3000 prior to the construction of any other building on the property. Gardner was vice-president of the Schwabacher Company, and later founded its successor Gardner’s Department Store located at 3rd & Main in the building now occupied by American West Bank. On July 26, 1907, Herbert A. Gardner and his wife Anna M. Gardner conveyed Lot 11 to Justus Wade for a consideration of $1100 with the same condition. On March 13, 1909, Justus Wade and his wife Mary E. Wade conveyed Lot 11 to Gladys Wade for a recited consideration of $1 with the same condition. Justus Wade is listed in the 1909 city directory as a real estate broker with Wade & Reinhart, residing at 527 Catherine with his wife Mary and his daughters Gladys and Isis.
On April 19, 1916 Gladys Wade, a spinster, conveyed Lot 11 to Justus Wade for the consideration of $1, subject to the same condition. On April 24, 1916, Justus and Mary E. Wade conveyed a mortgage on the property to Interstate Building Loan and Trust Association of Walla Walla in the sum of $4500. An undated document entitled Specifications for Painting and Staining Residence of Mr. Justin Wade on Alvarado Terrace near Clinton Street lists A.C. Semrow as Architect and provides instructions for completion of the original building at the time of its construction. The 1916-17 city directory, copyrighted September, 1916, continues to list the Wades as residing at 527 Catherine. In the 1918 city directory, Justus Wade is listed as owner of Justus Wade Clothing, 101 W. Main, where his daughter Gladys was bookkeeper and his son Jesse I. Wade was a clerk, both Justus and Gladys residing at 1041 Alvarado.
Justus Wade died August 24, 1929, and left the subject property valued at $8000 to his wife Mary. The 1929-30 city directory lists Justus Wade as a farmer, and Jesse I. Wade as manager of Wade’s Clothing House, with Gladys as bookkeeper, and Isis, along with Justus, Mary and Gladys, residing at 1041 Alvarado.
Mary E. Wade died March 3, 1943 and her estate was probated March 28, 1951, leaving the subject property valued at $17,000 to her daughters Gladys and Iowa Isis Wade. At the time of the probate, Gladys was 71, Isis was 69, Jesse Irvin Wade was 73, and another daughter, Adelia Belle Wade Sims, was 75.
Isis Wade died October 29, 1959, and in 1962 her estate was probated, leaving the subject property to her sister Gladys.
Gladys E. Wade died November 28, 1965, and her estate was probated in 1966, leaving the subject property to her nephew Wade Sims of Portland and her niece Geneva Sims Baker of Walla Walla. Geneva Sims Baker was married to Howard Baker, President of Baker Loan & Investment Company, and a relative of Dorsey S. Baker.
In August, 1966, Wade Sims and Geneva Sims Baker sold the property on contract to William F. Stewart for the sum of $18,500. Stewart was the owner of Stewart’s French Dry Cleaners. On March 10, 1981 Wade Sims and spouse and Geneva Sims Baker issued a fulfillment deed to William F. Stewart upon satisfaction of their contract.
On March 23, 1995, Steven and Elizabeth Campeau acquired the property by warranty deed from Marjorie M. Stewart, the widow of William F. Stewart, for the sum of $240,000.
Construction of the House
From the city directory information showing the Wades residing at 527 Catherine in early 1916 and on the subject property in the next directory, together with the construction loan and mortgage on the property of April 24, 1916, it is apparent that the home was constructed in 1916, the architect being A.C. Semrow.
Daniel N. Clark Walla Walla 2020 Research Service PO Box 1222, Walla Walla WA 99362 July 7, 2000
