Edison District could make National Register

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Historic Queen Anne, Craftsman and Tudor-style houses give Centralia's Edison District a rare style and diversity.

"There's every type of historic building you could imagine," said Centralia Downtown Economic Coordinator Dave Eatwell.

The Birge House, 715 E St., is the only home in the Edison District on the National Register of Historic Places. That number may change to 400 if the city decides to register the Edison District as a historic district.

The Washington State Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation funded phase I of a survey that will eventually survey 400 homes in the district. The first phase cost $8,000, and included 207 homes north of West First Street, surveyed between June and October. The dates for phase II are not yet set.

Pride and community

Properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places must be at least 50 years old and have architectural integrity, which means they embody the distinctive characteristics of a certain period.

Being on the register mostly offers pride and recognition of the home's historic value, said architectural historian Diana Painter of Petaluma, Calif., who conducted phase I of the study.

"It can kind of build community as well," Painter said. "It can be a way for people to get together and express value for where they live."

Eatwell would like to see a group of historic homeowners convene to discuss renovation and the intricacies of living in an older home.

One financial benefit of having a home on the National Register is special valuation, which gives homeowners a tax break for conducting rehabilitation work on their houses, said Michael Houser with the OAHP. Special valuation is a 10-year credit based on 25 percent of the value of the work done. In some cases, it can erase property taxes entirely, Houser said.

'Labor of love'

Tom and Mary Jones bought the Birge House 11 years ago to use as a free bed and breakfast for missionaries and pastors. About 450 guests have stayed in the two-story, five-bedroom house.

The Joneses spent time at the library researching the Birge family. Lumber baron George Birge was mayor of Centralia in 1885 and 1894.

The front part of the house is very grand, with an elaborate staircase and a front and middle parlor, while the back is crudely built.

"It's to convince people that you are something you aren't," Mary Jones said.

She gated the bottom of the back staircase, which led from the servants' quarters, to keep grandchildren and pets from taking a nasty fall.



Even the turret above the balcony gives an illusion of a third floor.

The Joneses painted the house in the original green, pink and beige, have framed original strips of wallpaper, and decorate with period-appropriate antiques. Windows must be replaced with old glass and not new, to keep the integrity of the house.

"You do as much as possible to maintain it as it would have been," Jones said. "You have to like doing this, or it can kill you."

The Joneses try to make the entire house livable and then rehabilitate one room at a time, Jones said.

The couple recently renovated the middle parlor, which involved stripping five coats of wallpaper off the ceiling and another four off the walls.

"With most historic buildings, it's a labor of love, and finding the right replacement parts is often challenging," Houser said. "You don't just walk down to Home Depot and buy stuff off the shelf for a lot of these things."

Houser said Centralia's host of antique shops makes it a good place to own a historic home.

Jones said people have always stepped in to help provide furniture, wallpaper and other pieces in the house.

"God will provide what you need," Jones said in reference to all the help they've gotten. "This house is a comfort to me, and I use it to comfort others."

Julia Nicholls covers city government and health for The Chronicle. She may be reached at 807-8245, or by e-mail at jnicholls@chronline.com.

Session set for next week

What: A meeting about the possibility of adding the Edison District to the National Register of Historic Places.

When: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Where: Centralia City Hall

Why: To inform the public of the scope of the project, and about how a homeowner in the district may get involved.