Thanks to Dick D for finding this history for us.
621 9th Avenue, Seattle, Courtesy King County Tax Assessor
The continued existence of the house at 621 9th Avenue is surprising, considering its First Hill location. Tall buildings loom near the capacious dwelling, which is set back from 9th Avenue on the steep corner of Cherry Street. The house dates from about 1900, and surely holds many stories. I’ve never been inside, but I imagine that the view of Elliott Bay from the third floor is breathtaking.
This house was built by Thomas and Virginia Prosch, who lost their lives one hundred years ago this coming Monday — March 30, 1915. Thomas and his father Charles were pioneer newspaper publishers who arrived in the future Washington Territory in 1858. Virginia was the daughter of Morton and Julia Ann McCarver, who founded Tacoma. Thomas and Virginia, artist Harriet Foster Beecher, and philanthropist Margaret Lenora Denny (who as a little girl had been one of the Denny Party pioneers) drowned in the Duwamish River when the car in which they were passengers dodged children playing in the road and veered off the Riverton Draw Bridge.
I contributed an article on the Prosch house in an issue of the Skyliner a year or two ago. Sorry I don’t have it to hand. I will try to dig it out and share it.
My article on the Prosch House at 621 9th Avenue appeared in the Skyliner for December, 2017 at p. 2. The house’s “survival” is a chance relating to its owner/
occupier. Last year, that gentleman vacated or expired (I do not know which). The property has now been sold to a developer. It’s future development will clearly see the house demolished–but the scope for development might depend upon whether or not the old German Club building’s owners maintain that building in the face of ballooning property assessments.