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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Tull House a highlight of home tour in Cannon Hill area

The quiet neighborhood south of Cannon Hill Park looks like a snapshot from the past with its classic old homes, tree-lined streets and friendly residents.

On Sunday, Spokane Preservation Advocates is offering the public a chance to get a close-up look at this charming part of the old Spokane.

Three neighborhood homes will be open for tours from noon to 4 p.m. Tickets are $15 by cash or check and are available at the homes. Children younger than 12 get in free.

Proceeds will benefit the preservation advocates organization.

“We only have three homes, but they are fabulous,” said Linda Yeomans, a historic preservation consultant and chairwoman of the home tour.

“They have all been kept in very good shape,” she said.

The largest of the three, at 529 W. 22nd Ave., steered clear of the trend after World War II, when many of Spokane’s fine old mansions were converted into apartments.

Completed in 1912, the Tull House is a great example of the Tudor Revival style and was designed by architects Julius Zittel and Archibald Rigg.

Zittel’s work includes several important Spokane landmarks – Gonzaga University’s College Hall, St. Aloysius Church and Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral.

In the Tull House, Zittel shows a fine eye for elegance, symmetry and detail.

The front façade has the classic look of half-timbered walls and beams accented by red brick. The entry is at the top of a large brick staircase.

The foyer is warmed by a generous use of fine-grained oak woodwork and floors.

Rooms are separated by double pocket sliding doors, each of which holds divided glass panels.

A staircase to the upper stories rises from the back of the foyer and is lit by a series of amber-colored cathedral glass windows. Hand carving in the woodwork enhances the elegance.

The living room features a large fireplace with a hand-hammered copper hood.

“I think the living room is my favorite room,” said owner Jerry Blinn. “I go in there and sit and read a book, listen to music, have a glass of wine.”

The home was built for Perry and Bess Tull at a cost of $20,000. It sits on a four-lot parcel that includes a private terrace and lawn.

Tull was co-owner of Tull and Gibbs Complete Home Furnishings, which was Spokane’s leading furniture store at the time. Blinn has a small commercial sign from the company that was given to him by Yeomans, he said.

Directly across the street from the Tull House is a smaller Spanish eclectic home built in 1937, mirroring a fashion of the time.

Located at 534 W. 22nd Ave., the house features a front door contained within a one-story tower. Inside is a circular fireplace with hand-hammered wrought iron screen. The dining room is unusual for its high ceilings and tall windows.

“It has that romantic whimsy,” Yeomans said.

The home was originally occupied by Jay and Florence Fancy. He ran a real estate firm through the Depression.

The third home on the tour at 503 W. 22nd Ave. is an American Foursquare-type with Craftsman detail. Its main floor is laid out with four rooms – living room, dining room, kitchen and den – thus the name Foursquare, Yeomans said.

The 1913 home was occupied for 63 years by Dr. Albert Woolson, a dentist, and his wife, Lillian.