Even as Seattle pushes at seemingly incredible speed into the future, with technology firms based here leading the world and development in West Seattle changing the complexion of the community every day, we cling to and even celebrate our past. Part of that is found in Seattle's oldest house that went on the market Thursday. The open houses are at 3-6 June 16 and 2-5 June 17, and​​ bids are due June 19: https://www.redfin.com/WA/Seattle/3045-64th-Ave-SW-98116/home/150344.

The West Seattle Herald provided coverage about the house back on April 27, 1988 (see attached photos of the story, courtesy of SWSHS Executive Director Clay Eals).

Our reporter Brad Chrisman wrote about the house that it was, "built sometime in the late 1850's or early 1860's when Alki was owned by a fellow named Doc." That's a reference for one of Seattle's original pioneer residents Dr. David Swinson "Doc" Maynard.

Though records are unclear from that time we do know that a "mansion" was built on Alki for Maynard but it burned down. Subsequently, it is surmised by writer Chrisman that Maynard built the current home after February 1858 to replace the former home.

It was originally built at the corner of 64th SW and Alki Ave. SW and moved, around 1915 to its present location, and at that time part of the house was "chopped off" but this is getting ahead of the story.

Doc Maynard deeded his Alki holdings to Knud Olson, who planned to farm Alki with his business partner and brother-in-law Hans Martin Hanson. Chrisman writes, "According to Hanson family history, as told in an April 29, 1945, Seattle Times article, the house was built by Maynard in 1854. But given that Maynard didn't take ownership of the point until 1857, that date probably is in error. It seems more likely that the house was built after February 1858..."

The same article notes that "Maynard deeded the property on Oct. 2, 1862 to N.S. Kellogg, who deeded it back to Maynard 11 months later. Since records are unreliable it's probably better to rely on what is certain. "The house was there where the Hansons and Olsons moved to Alki in 1868. In 1936, it was still in the family, owned by Hanson's grandson, who amazingly enough was Ivar Haglund, who went on to build a seafood empire in Seattle.

In 1937, Haglund was cited as a source in a Seattle Post-Intelligencer story about the house. "It is still standing, in another location, and its owner Ivar Haglund is authority for the fact that it is the oldest house in Seattle. The original owner says Haglund was Doc Maynard, and he used a portion of the residence as a hospital for his patients."