417 North L Street (1913)

The Elliot Hall Apartments were built as an investment in 1913 by Mrs. Celesta P. Wheeler. The building is thought to have cost $20,000. While many North End residents assume that the tensions between single family dwelling owners and apartment owners are a relatively new dynamic, period newspaper reports indicate otherwise.

The Elliot Hall Apartments were built as an investment in 1913 by Mrs. Celesta P. Wheeler. The building is thought to have cost $20,000. While many North End residents assume that the tensions between single family dwelling owners and apartment owners are a relatively new dynamic, period newspaper reports indicate otherwise.

In 1913, the same year that this complex was built, Charles C. Darling and his wife (who lived next door at 1120 North 5th Street) were apparently unhappy with an apartment building practically in their back yard. To provide privacy for their home, the Darlings built a shed 7 feet wide and 51 feet long along the property line between the two structures. The Darling’s referred to the structure as a summer house and a place to dry clothing. Mrs. Wheeler objected, claiming the structure was a “spite” building which blocked light from two of her apartment units.

This dispute ended up in court which ruled in favor of the Darlings; their "spite" building was allowed to remain.

A Walking Tour of the North Slope Historic District. Tacoma, WA. Historic Tacoma Press, 2008.