George and Angeline Kinnear House – 809 Queen Anne Ave N

Kinnear House, 1895

George Kinnear (January 30, 1836 – July 21, 1912), Seattle pioneer, real estate developer, and community benefactor, was a leader in the development of Queen Anne Hill and a prominent figure in early Seattle history. His stately mansion, completed in 1888 on two-and-a-half-acres at the foot of Queen Anne Hill, was a choice example of the Queen Anne architectural style so fashionable at the time. Although the mansion and its surrounding structures were demolished to make way for the construction of Bayview Manor, many of its valuable and unique components were salvaged and incorporated into other structures that still stand today.

Kinnear House, 1885

Memories of the Kinnear mansion and Charles Kinnear -- George Kinnear’s son who lived there following his father’s death -- were vivid for Catharine Morgan, a resident of Bayview Manor until her passing. From 1957 to 1959, she and her husband, Rev. Chester Morgan, lived in the large guest cottage on the Kinnear estate while her husband served at Seattle First Methodist Church. In 1958, they witnessed the demolition of the mansion. She knew Charles, his wife Lena, and their servant Dela -- who previously worked for Charles’ father and lived on the third floor of the mansion. She has the greatest respect for the Kinnears and their contributions to Seattle’s history. She can describe the mansion and its beauty in great detail.

The mansion had solid oak floors, a grand walnut staircase, white Italian marble fireplaces with elaborate carving, gas chandeliers (later converted to electricity), ten-foot ceilings, a bathroom with a marble washbowl and solid copper bathtub, and elegant slate roofing. A magnificent fountain graced the circular driveway, and according to Homes and Gardens of the Pacific Coast (Frank Calvert, editor, published 1913, reprinted 1998), “The grounds are very extensive and well laid out, with beautiful flowers, winding paths, and fountains, a miniature park in itself.”

The Kinnear family made valuable and lasting contributions to the history of Queen Anne Hill and Seattle. Their mansion and its estate were among the most beautiful of the era.

A pen and ink image of the mansion was adopted by the Queen Anne Historical Society as its logo, and it serves as a reminder of some of the grand achievements of our past.