1102 North 5th Street (1901)

The Cornell Brothers built this 1901 Neo-Colonial Four-Square for F. G. Fisher. Fisher came to Tacoma in 1889 and started a shoe business with his brother. In 1895 he opened Tacoma Shoe on Pacific Avenue. By 1906 he joined with Stone to form Stone-Fisher Co., a clothing store that later became the Bon Marche (now Macy’s).

The Cornell Brothers built this 1901 Neo-Colonial Four-Square for F. G. Fisher. Fisher came to Tacoma in 1889 and started a shoe business with his brother. In 1895 he opened Tacoma Shoe on Pacific Avenue. By 1906 he joined with Stone to form Stone-Fisher Co., a clothing store that later became the Bon Marche (now Macy’s). He was a long time member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Library Board.

The Cornell brothers, Ernest and Daniel, operated one of Tacoma’s largest construction firms. Since no architect is listed, it’s likely that they designed the houses themselves. The Cornell Brothers built many houses in the North Slope as well as First Presbyterian Church, the grain elevators, the Elks Building (now McMenamins Elks Temple), and much of Camp Lewis (now Fort Lewis) in World War I.

Ernest C. and Daniel Cornell, natives of Ohio, moved to Tacoma in the late 1880s. The brothers started working in the contracting business immediately, and for a while partnered together. By the 1920s they helped create the firm of Albertson, Cornell Brothers & Walsh, a large business which constructed roads and erected power stations. The firm’s average payroll included between 400 and 600 men, although to build Fort Lewis the firm employed more than 10,000 men. Daniel Cornell later became vice president of the Washington Paving Company. Both brothers were active in community affairs, particularly with fraternal orders, and were members of the Masons, Knights Templar, Scottish Rite, Elks, and the Union Club.¹

Courtesy of Tacoma Historical Society:

"This Neo-French Colonial House was built in 1901 by Cornell Bros., for Garrett and Virginia Fisher. Cornell Bros., founded by Daniel and Ernest Cornell, was a major contractor during the first half of the 20th Century and built many homes in Tacoma, including the mansions known as "Thornewood" and "Haddaway Hall". Cornell Bros. also built many large buildings and structures, including First Presbyterian Church, the Elks Temple, Port of Tacoma piers, and much of what was then known as Camp Lewis. The Cornells also owned the Washington Paving Company, which constructed many of the sidewalks and pavements in Tacoma, Olympia, and elsewhere in Western Washington.

"Garrett Fisher, born in Montrose, Iowa, came to Tacoma in 1890. He opened a shoe store at South 11th and Pacific Ave. with his brother L. H. Fisher. After the Depression of 1893 hit, he was for a time a traveling shoe salesman. In 1895 he opened another shoe store on Pacific Ave. In 1906 he joined stone-Fisher, located at 11th and Broadway (then called C Street), as vice-president. Stone-Fisher was later known as Fishers Department Store, after Garrett's father, William J. Fisher, bought a controlling interest in the business. Garrett was active in business and civic affairs, serving as Chamber of commerce president, as a member of the board of trustees for over 30 years, president of the library board, and president of the Tacoma Speedway Association, which brought auto races to Tacoma. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor against Angelo V. Fawcett.

"Garrett Fisher and Virginia Cushman Fisher were married in 1892. They had two children. Virginia died in 1933 at age 66.Garrett Fisher lived at 1102 North 5th St. until 1951, passing away at age 92 in 1956.

"The house had a number of owners between 1954 and 1999 when it was purchased by [the current owners] who have undertaken extensive restoration projects to restore much of the home's original character."²

OTHER HOMES BUILT BY THE CORNELL BROTHERS

• 1319 North 4th Street (1895)
• 615 North Ainsworth Street (1901)
• 624 North J Street (1902)
• 1102 North J Street (1901)
• 1415 North J Street (1901)
• 407 North K Street (1906)
• 409 North K Street (1891)
• 613 North K Street (1901)
• 707 North K Street (1903)
• 1022 North K Street (1901)

1. A Walking Tour of the North Slope Historic District. Tacoma, WA. Historic Tacoma Press, 2008.
2. Historic Homes of Tacoma Tour 2008. Tacoma, WA. Tacoma Historical Society, 2008.