After nearly a year of being temporarily located in a church parking lot, Kirkland’s historic Trueblood House will be moved to a permanent home on Sixth Avenue in the Norkirk neighborhood.
From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Aug. 15, Nickel Bros. Moving Company will once again relocate the house. Sixth Avenue will be closed during the move.
A house moving company based out of Vancouver, the Nickel Bros. financed the temporary relocation of the home last year in an effort to preserve it. The company worked closely with the city’s planning department and other city departments including building, fire and police, to transport the house on Aug. 17, 2016. They moved the house to Lakeside Christian Church, located on First Avenue just around the corner from the home’s original location.
Last year’s temporary move occurred in order to preserve the historic structure while a buyer was located. The house has since been purchased, and the new owners will now have a piece of Kirkland history.
The Trueblood House’s unique architectural style tells the story of Kirkland’s origins. The house was located one block from the busiest street in town, then known as Picadilly, and was one of eight homes built in 1889 by the Kirkland Land and Improvement Company. Incorporated by Peter Kirk and Leigh J. Hunt, owner and publisher of the Seattle Post Intelligencer, the Kirkland Land and Improvement Company was instrumental in Kirkland’s early development.
Seven of the eight homes were built for steel mill executives, while the Trueblood House was built for Kirkland’s first doctor, Dr. Barclay Trueblood. It later housed the doctor’s family, and his name remains associated with the house to this day.
For more information on the Trueblood House, contact the Nickel Bros. at (425) 257-2067.