Samuel Hyde House

Samuel Hyde House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Seattle Landmark
Samuel Hyde House
Location	3726 East Madison Street Seattle, Washington United States
Coordinates	47°37′55″N122°17′04″W / 47.631888°N 122.28453°W / 47.631888; -122.28453
Built	1909–1910 [1] [ permanent dead link ] [2]
Architect	Bebb and Mendel [2]
Architectural style	Neoclassical [2]
NRHP reference No.	82004238 [3]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	April 12, 1982
Designated SEATL	April 18 , 1994 [4]

The Samuel Hyde House, also called the Samuel Hyde Mansion, is a two story neoclassical building at 3726 East Madison Street in Seattle, United States that had most recently been used as residence for Russia's Seattle consul general. On December 28, 1981 ^{[2] [5]} it was designated a Seattle landmark, and on April 12, 1982 it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. ^{[6] [7]}

History

The building was built in 1909–1910 by John Charles Olmsted and the architecture firm Bebb & Mendel for liquor magnate Samuel Hyde. ^{[8] [6]} The two-story brick house is fronted by a portico with Corinthian columns; ^[2] there is a brick carriage house in back. The grounds were laid out by the Olmsted Brothers. ^[8] The Olmsteds played a prominent role in designing Seattle's system of parks and boulevards, and were responsible for landscaping the grounds of the 1909 Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition on the campus of the University of Washington. ^{[2] [6]}

The house was sold by Hyde six years after completion so he could focus his attention on his coal industry investments. ^[9] Prior to 1994 the house would go thru numerous owners. ^[9]

On April 21, 1994 the US government purchased the house for $1.1 million, and the US Office of Foreign Missions has had ownership of the location since then. ^[10] From 1994–April 2018 the US government has allowed the house to be used as residence for Russia's Seattle consul general, ^{[1] [2]} and in April 2018 the US State Department evicted the consul general ^[11] following the White House ordered closure of Russia's Seattle consulate office. ^[12]

As of early 2025 the US and Russian governments are in talks to opening the house again. ^[13]

Gallery

• 
  Photo of the south portico from 1981
• 
  Blueprint of the house from 1910
• 
  House owned by US OFM
• 
  View of the south (primary) elevation

See also

• Consulate General of Russia, Seattle
• List of diplomatic missions of Russia
• List of ambassadors of Russia to the United States

References

1. Mike Merritt, Russians Buying Madison Park Mansion for Consulate, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, December 21, 1993. Accessed online 28 September 2008.
2. Wilma, David (December 28, 1981). "Seattle Landmarks: Samuel Hyde Residence (1910)". HistoryLink.org. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
3. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
4. "Landmark Alphabetical Listing for S :: Historic Preservation :: Department of Neighborhoods". seattle.gov. Archived from the original on August 12, 2004.
5. "Washington SP Hyde, Samuel, House". catalog.archives.gov. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
6. "Report on Designation, Samuel Hyde House" (PDF). March 4, 1981. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
7. "Council Bill Number: 110104 Ordinance Number: 117097". clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us. May 24, 2012. Archived from the original on May 24, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
8. "Project Details Page #04070". Olmsted Online. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
9. "Seattle's now-vacant Russian consul residence rekindles memories of family that built it". The Seattle Times. April 28, 2018. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
10. "King County Department of Assessments". King County. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
11. "Moving day in Madison Park at the Russian Consular Residence". CHS Capitol Hill Seattle. April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
12. Torbati, Yeganeh. "U.S. retaliates against Russia, orders closure of consulate, annexes". IN. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
13. "Russia and U.S. aim to fix diplomatic ties under Trump-Putin rapprochement". Reuters. February 26, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2025.

External links

• Aerial photo of Samuel Hyde House from 1936