History of the Sequoia House Seattle
Heritage Tree

The Sequoia House Seattle Heritage Tree has long been a neighborhood landmark, planted around 1927 when the house, a classic example of Seattle Tudor Revival/Cedar Shake Shingle Style from the 1920s and 1930s, was built.

1920s

One of the first owners of the house (and thus tree) was a man by the name of Peter Martin.  Among the earliest references we have found for Peter Martin date from 1929 in the West Seattle Herald, with a Peter Martin listed at this address advertised as being available for painting services.

1940s through 1960s

By 1940, the house had changed hands.  That year’s census shows Blair Ringer, his wife Melita and daughter Ann as residing here.  Originally from Ellensberg, Blair Ringer served as president of Morad Electronics Corporation, a Seattle-based company specializing in marine antennas that is still in existence today.  He was a member of the Queen City Yacht Club and the Motion Picture Operators Union, Local 154.  According to the West Seattle Herald, he passed away in 1969. 

"Ringer's Tree"

During the time the Ringers lived here, the tree became known as “Ringer’s Tree” by the neighborhood children.  Lower branches - some as big as trees themselves, according to a former neighbor who grew up next door in the 1960s and 1970s - grew just a few feet from the ground, making it a perfect spot for children to play and climb.

​

1970s and 1980s

Some time after Blair Ringer passed away, the house was purchased by George Herrmann and his wife Kirstin, both employees of United Airlines.  Under George and Kirstin’s stewardship, both the tree and the house received major care and improvements, including replacing the home’s old oil furnace with a then state-of-the-art electric forced air furnace that works reliably to this day.  Lower tree branches were removed to meet city code for sidewalk clearance, a necessary task but a disappointment to the neighborhood children who could no longer use them to sit on while at play.

The Herrmanns eventually relocated to Chicago, at the behest of United Airlines, and reluctantly sold their home.  It was purchased by Frank and Elaine Young (no relation to the current owner although the last names are the same), who continued to be vigilant stewards of the tree.  It was under their stewardship that the tree was written about and listed in the book “Trees of Seattle” by noted local arborist Arthur Lee Jacobson.

1990s

In 1994, the house was purchased by the current owner.  Under her stewardship, the tree underwent its first of a series of regular prunings by ISA certified arborists, starting with West Seattle-based Stonehedge Tree Experts (later sold to Grun Tree Care also of West Seattle when its owner Mark Harman retired).  This involved four arborists trained in urban forestry repelling up and down the tree with chainsaws and tools the entire day, from 7 am to 4 pm.  Much like a long-needed haircut, years of deadwood were removed and branches overhanging the sidewalk and street were pruned to meet city code, further revealing the natural beauty of the tree. In 1999, she had the sidewalk deflected around the tree per arborist recommendations to accommodate its size, with the approval of the City of Seattle.  She also gave the house its current name, “Sequoia House Seattle.”

2000s - Sequioa House Tree Becomes City of Seattle Heritage Tree 02.3

In 2002, the Sequoia House Seattle Giant Sequoia became a City of Seattle Heritage Tree, in a ceremony that involved neighbors, news media, members of the arts community and representatives of the city.