Christensen House earns spot on National Historic Register

One of the most intriguing homes on the South Hill has earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.

The George and Blanche Christensen House at 1329 E. Overbluff Road was built in 1926 during a period when the storybook revival style was popular.

According to Spokane’s historic register website, the house mimics style elements “borrowed from medieval architecture and reminiscent of the whimsical dwellings and cozy cottages illustrated in children’s nursery rhymes and storybooks of the 1920s.”

The Christensen House is a mix of Tudor Revival and Storybook styling.

The house was part of a home tour hosted by the Spokane Preservation Advocates last September.

The house was originally placed on the Spokane historic register in 2007, but did not earn a spot on the national register until this year after its owners sought the national listing.

The owners are Sara Weaver-Lundberg and Russ Lundberg, who undertook several years of restoration work on the home.

The house was originally built for George and Blanche Christensen. He was president and general manager for Western Piggly Wiggly grocery stores.

Its designer and builder was John E. Anderson, who was highly regarded as a leading contractor in Spokane for many years and was a key figure in the construction in the Rockwood district, including the Rockwood Terrace Addition. The Christensen House cost $25,000, including its spacious property. Plans for the house were included in a book of house plans published by Anderson.