THE SITE
The Joseph Kazda House is located on the corner of 84th Street East and Vickery Avenue in the approximate geographical center of Summit-Waller, a community located within the mid-county area of unincorporated Pierce County. Summit-Waller exists as a “rural separator”, which is defined by its one-of-a-kind land use zoning specifying a minimum of 2.5 acre residential building lots. Kazda House appears to the left on the sight line of 84th Street East going east. 84th Street East was originally known as Washington State Historical Road No. 1, the first legal road in Washington State/Territory, and established in 1852 as the original route from Steilacoom and land grant settlers in the Puyallup Valley (see Washington State Historic Road No. 1).
ORIGINAL EXTERIOR FEATURES
The Kazda House is of klincker brick construction based on traditional Cotswold Cottage design, a sub-type of the Tudor Revival style home. Cotswold Cottage design is recognizable by its cozy cottage feel, and long pitched roof, unlike traditional Tudor Revival, which is larger and more stately. The house is cross-gabled, with a wing facing to the back or north (see House within a House).
SOUTH NORTH EAST WEST
The front of the house faces directly south. Large casement windows are arranged symmetrically along the front, with a dramatic connected and arched doorway (word??) on the right end, leading to the patio on the east side of the house. Double doors on the southeast corner of the house lead into the spacious master bedroom. There is a large distinguished outdoor fireplace, chimney and outdoor oven 20 feet from the east side of the house, which is being preserved by a recently constructed outdoor port, shingled on 2-sides, presumably to protect from adverse weather. The northeast corner of the house have a covered porch, with a door leading to the kitchen, as well as a decorative arched nook. There is a large distinguished chimney on its west side, which is atypical as the more common Cotswold design incorporates the chimney in the front facade.
The Cotswold Cottage design is inspired by early 16th Century English architecture, and even an earlier time. The Kazda House borrows minor design feature from Medieval castles, including a decorative granite stonework entrance including keystones over the door granite masonry steps forming a semi-circle leading to the front front door. The remaining source material of the granite keystones were uncovered in late 2005 approximately 200 feet east of the house in a pile, which indicates the stonework was chiseled on-site. They are now prominently displayed in a 'Stonehedge' formation marking the entrance to the main driveway. Granite scraps were built by Joseph Kazda into bird baths and bird houses, which can still be found in the yard today in remarkably good condition.
RECYCLED HOUSE
As a lifelong craftsman and brickmason, Joseph Kazda would bring home discarded bricks from work almost daily during the construction of the home, of which a large portion of the building is constructed. In addition, the east patio was constructed from surplus brick street and curb pavers, reportedly from downtown and/or old town Tacoma streets, which may have originally served as ballast on boats arriving into Commencement Bay.
The North Wing of the house was originally built in 1927, directly on what would later be built and designated Washington State Historic Road No. 1. In 1941, the Washington Legislature commemorated the road by naming it Washington State Historical Road No. 1.
FRUIT AND NUT ORCHARDS
JOSEPH KAZDA
Joseph Kazda was an immigrant from the Czech Republic during World War I? In 1927 for the sum of $450 he and his wife, Emma, purchased the 10 acres from approximately 84th to what is now Pipeline Road.
TOPOGRAPHY
The front of the house is located on a gradual rise with a street level elevation. The back of the house slopes down, opening to a daylight basement as well as a second floor. Surrounding the sloping and flat sections of pasture are the remnants of the original split cedar fence from the 1930's. 2006 saw the reconstruction of the fence as originally constructed using 5 foot tall split cedar fence posts, woven fence wire, and barbed wire. Many of the original fruit trees from the original 1927 sketches, although showing their age, are still present. Birds have planted approximately 20 apple trees, and a number of blueberry bushes. Over the last 2 years, nearly all invasive species have been removed from the property.
INTEGRITY
Today, the Joseph Kazda House remains largely undisturbed since the historic period; the original design features and envelope are in a high state of preservation. Virtually all of the new materials have been made or purchased to match what would have been used when the home was originally constructed.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Joseph Kazda immigrated from the Bohemia Region of the Czech Republic. He was a skilled brick mason by trade, as was typical with Czech immigrants, wherein most of the men were skilled craftsmen (masons and stone-cutters). He was a brick mason by trade, and his home is a testament to his craftsman abilities.
To be continued.......
