Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Lakewood's 'newest' landmark has ties to Fort Lewis
Sometime early this year, perhaps Feb. 5, the Lakewood council will publicly honor the owners of a "new" landmark. The Hopkins house was designated and protected in perpetuity late last year as a landmark by vote of the city's Landmarks and Heritage Advisory Board.
You can't just walk into City Hall and get a building designated. There is a lengthy study process that documents the history of the building. The process is designed to make sure the building does have a history and that it has not been significantly altered.
The only other landmarks protected from demolition in this town are the pioneer Boatman House on 112th, Lakewold Gardens, the Rhodesleigh Carriage House, and the Frank Lloyd Wright house. So the Hopkins house joins a short but proud list. Its owners, James and Priscilla Hopkins, will deserve all the applause they get at our meeting for making sure their home is protected for our and future generations.
As it turns out, the history of the Hopkins Home fills a huge missing link in the small, but growing, collection of landmarks. As you likely know, the history of the military is closely connected with the history of Lakewood. There were early military encampments throughout the area; but certainly Camp Lewis and its descendants, Fort Lewis and McChord, have had, and continue to have, a huge influence.
The Hopkins House, along American Lake at 7520 North St. SW, was built in 1917 by one of the people who was also building a much larger project: Camp Lewis. So we now, in one stroke, have a defined historic and permanent tie to the bases in Lakewood's arsenal of historic sites.
Rather than insert myself into the story, here are excerpts from the report prepared for the landmarks board by consultant and historian Jennifer Schreck:
"Construction of the camp began on July 5, 1917 and 'in 90 days some 10,000 men built 1,757 buildings and 422 other structures, lighted, plumbed, and heated.' Camp Lewis was initially used to train troops for World War I.
"The contractors for Camp Lewis were Hurley-Mason Company of Tacoma Washington. It is believed that in approximately 1917 Harry and Rosalie Hurley constructed the house at 7520 North Street similar to those constructed at Camp Lewis, wood construction on pier blocks.
"The chain of title for the property starts 1872 with a patent issued by the United States of America to Tillman H. Shelton and signed by the President U.S. Grant ... The Hurleys held the property for 9 years until selling it beginning a progression of several owners until September 12, 1932 when Milda Hopkins and her husband James A. Hopkins acquired the property which has remained in their family until present day.
"Milda Hopkins was an artist of note whose work was included in the Tacoma News Tribune from 1962 until 1978. Her exhibits included Handforth, Frye, Burien Arts Festival, University of Washington, Chehalis, Olympia, and Kirkland. She was a member of Lakewood Artists.
"James A. Hopkins worked his entire career in the Tacoma School District beginning as a teacher and reaching assistant superintendent of schools in charge of buildings and construction. He played a large part in building two new schools, Geiger and Downing, and the construction of new additions to Wainwright and Mary Lyon schools. He was also involved in the construction of Mt. Tahoma and Wilson High schools.
"Milda and James Hopkins’ son James and his wife Priscilla Hopkins currently own the property and have carefully maintained the historic house."
You could build a list 20 pages long of all the research topics that await Lakewood historians. The life of the Hurley family is now one of them. It would be neat to know more about the family - and perhaps open up more formal connections between the people interested in Lakewood history and the people interested in military history. In the meantime, we can thank two generations of the Hopkins family for maintaining and adding to the legacy.
Here is a link with more info about the history of Camp Lewis.
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You can't just walk into City Hall and get a building designated. There is a lengthy study process that documents the history of the building. The process is designed to make sure the building does have a history and that it has not been significantly altered.
The only other landmarks protected from demolition in this town are the pioneer Boatman House on 112th, Lakewold Gardens, the Rhodesleigh Carriage House, and the Frank Lloyd Wright house. So the Hopkins house joins a short but proud list. Its owners, James and Priscilla Hopkins, will deserve all the applause they get at our meeting for making sure their home is protected for our and future generations.
As it turns out, the history of the Hopkins Home fills a huge missing link in the small, but growing, collection of landmarks. As you likely know, the history of the military is closely connected with the history of Lakewood. There were early military encampments throughout the area; but certainly Camp Lewis and its descendants, Fort Lewis and McChord, have had, and continue to have, a huge influence.
The Hopkins House, along American Lake at 7520 North St. SW, was built in 1917 by one of the people who was also building a much larger project: Camp Lewis. So we now, in one stroke, have a defined historic and permanent tie to the bases in Lakewood's arsenal of historic sites.
Rather than insert myself into the story, here are excerpts from the report prepared for the landmarks board by consultant and historian Jennifer Schreck:
"Construction of the camp began on July 5, 1917 and 'in 90 days some 10,000 men built 1,757 buildings and 422 other structures, lighted, plumbed, and heated.' Camp Lewis was initially used to train troops for World War I.
"The contractors for Camp Lewis were Hurley-Mason Company of Tacoma Washington. It is believed that in approximately 1917 Harry and Rosalie Hurley constructed the house at 7520 North Street similar to those constructed at Camp Lewis, wood construction on pier blocks.
"The chain of title for the property starts 1872 with a patent issued by the United States of America to Tillman H. Shelton and signed by the President U.S. Grant ... The Hurleys held the property for 9 years until selling it beginning a progression of several owners until September 12, 1932 when Milda Hopkins and her husband James A. Hopkins acquired the property which has remained in their family until present day.
"Milda Hopkins was an artist of note whose work was included in the Tacoma News Tribune from 1962 until 1978. Her exhibits included Handforth, Frye, Burien Arts Festival, University of Washington, Chehalis, Olympia, and Kirkland. She was a member of Lakewood Artists.
"James A. Hopkins worked his entire career in the Tacoma School District beginning as a teacher and reaching assistant superintendent of schools in charge of buildings and construction. He played a large part in building two new schools, Geiger and Downing, and the construction of new additions to Wainwright and Mary Lyon schools. He was also involved in the construction of Mt. Tahoma and Wilson High schools.
"Milda and James Hopkins’ son James and his wife Priscilla Hopkins currently own the property and have carefully maintained the historic house."
You could build a list 20 pages long of all the research topics that await Lakewood historians. The life of the Hurley family is now one of them. It would be neat to know more about the family - and perhaps open up more formal connections between the people interested in Lakewood history and the people interested in military history. In the meantime, we can thank two generations of the Hopkins family for maintaining and adding to the legacy.
Here is a link with more info about the history of Camp Lewis.
