Shoreline Historical Museum Trillium award winners revealed

Trillium Award Winners 2012
From left: Al Blindheim, North Seattle Trillium Award
Sallie and Brent Lumely, Lake Forest Park Trillium Award
Jere and Lynn Wright, Shoreline Trillium Award

As part of its Preservation Recognition Program, the Shoreline Historical Museum gave its 7th Annual Trillium Heritage Awards to three deserving contestants in North Seattle, Lake Forest Park and Shoreline on Saturday, November 17, 2012. 

LaVilla Dairy in Lake City, built 1922
Photo courtesy Shoreline Historical Museum

The plaque for North Seattle went to the LaVilla Dairy, built in 1922 on Fischer Place NE in Lake City. Building owner and award recipient was Al Blindheim. His father was a Lake City pioneer, opening his first dairy near the LaVilla train stop by Lake Washington in 1913, and later moving closer to the new highway, then called Victory Way. Al and his family, sons Mark and Steven Blindheim, and nephew Dean Felthous, were delighted to be recognized by the Museum board and members.

The Whizz Kids Academy was built in the 1930s
as a store with living quarters above
Photo courtesy Shoreline Historical Museum

Accepting the award for a historic building in Lake Forest Park were Brent and Sallie Lumley, owners of The Whizz Kids Academy at 18512 - Ballinger Way NE. The masonry building was constructed in 1930 by Charles and Clara McArthur, who came to Lake Forest Park in 1916. They built their first store on the same spot in 1918, but lost it to a fire in early 1930. At one time the McArthurs lived upstairs, and operated the store below. After several other store owners, it eventually became Laing’s Specialty Print Shop. It became the Whizz Kids Academy in 1997. The Preservation Recognition committee had this iconic building on its list of possible award winner for several years, and was pleased to present a Trillium Heritage Award to the Lumleys.

The Johnson family poses in front of their home in Richmond Beach
built in 1904 and remodeled in the late 1920s
Photo courtesy Shoreline Historical Museum

Shoreline pioneer John L. Johnson came to the Richmond Beach area in 1894, buying a piece of property from relative Joseph Mathison, who had come from Norway beforehand to secure property that could divided by the whole family. Johnson built a small house for his children and wife, then set about building a larger home, today’s Trillium Award winner in Shoreline. The Johnson house has graced the property at 19536 15th Ave. NW since 1904. Their large family occupied it for many years, doing an extensive remodel in the late 1920’s or early 1930’s which added dormers and a bathroom, among other conveniences. 

The Johnson home in 2012, Trillium Award winner
Photo courtesy Shoreline Historical Museum

Jere and Lynn Wright are only the second non-Johnson owners to reside in the house, which looks today just like it did in the 1930’s. Johnson family members were in attendance for the award presentation, including John L. Johnson’s great granddaughter Nancy Roediger, and great- granddaughter Alana Brandstrom, who nominated the Wrights and their historic home for the award.

The Shoreline Historical Museum’s Trillium Heritage Awards raise awareness of the community’s roots, and encourages excellence in the maintenance and perpetuation of historic buildings in accordance with their original style.