Winters House History
The Winters House represents the life and work of two of Bellevue's prominent local citizens of the past, Frederick and Cecelia Winters.
Frederick Winters, who was trained as a floral decorator, moved from his home state of New York to Washington in 1906. There he met his future wife and business partner, Cecelia Roedel. Together, they built one of the most successful wholesale floral businesses of that time in Bellevue. That nursery grew on the site within the Mercer Slough water shed.
The Winters specialized in greenhouse raised azaleas, and later daffodils and iris. In 1926, the spread of infectious bulb disease led to a quarantine on imported bulbs. Frederick seized the opportunity and reportedly purchased carloads of imported Dutch and Spanish iris varieties before the quarantine. As a result, bulb farming became an economically fertile business venture for the Winters. They prospered and were able to construct the Winters House in the late 1920'S for the cost of $32,000.
The distinctive Spanish Eclectic architectural design of the house reflects the popular romantic revival movement of the time. The Winters were probably most influenced by the Panama-California Exposition held in San Diego in 1915. This event generated wide spread emphasis in American building traditions. In fact, Spanish Eclectic was "all the rage" in Hollywood. Even then, Hollywood led in setting the fashion trends for the rest of the country.
Another influence on the Winters design, was a trip they took to Cuba a few years before they built the house. The trip was a fond memory for the couple, and they were taken by the beauty of the Spanish-influenced architecture there. That trip seemed to influence their tastes for the remainder of their lives. Some of those tastes are obviously expressed in the house trimmings, especially the tile and stucco work.
In addition to these events, a unique family circumstance also played a role in the house's design. Mrs. Winters' brother, Elmer Roedel, was a tile supplier and contractor. He was involved with the design of many Northwest buildings which utilized tile work, including the Winters House.
The main contractor for the construction of the Winters home was Anson Ralph Grosvenor. He was one of the first and most experienced builders on the eastside at that time. The house was constructed with windows that focused on the bulb fields beyond the backyard. This gave the Winters a view of their growing enterprise.
For some years, the Winters bulb farm grew after the construction of the house. However, the Mercer Slough terrain was too boggy for expansion. Gradually, the Winters acquired acreage in Kent to cultivate the bulbs. The azalea growing business remained on the site until the Winters moved from their home in 1943. In retirement, the Winters continued their love for floriculture by developing a wholesale flower business at their home on Vashon Island, specializing in carnations.
After the Winters ownership of the property here in Bellevue, it changed hands twice more. Austrian immigrants Anna and Frank Riepel purchased the estate directly from the Winters. The Riepels made some changes to the house and sold a portion of the property to Endre Ostbo who operated the "King of Shrubs" nursery, specializing in rhododendrons, from the greenhouses behind the house.
One of the most noticeable alterations made to the house by the Riepels was the construction of a swimming pool and concrete deck on the front of the house which is no longer there. Mrs. Riepel remained in residence until 1983. After that, the house fell into disrepair.
With the passage of the 1988 Park Bond Issue, the Winters' estate was purchased by the City of Bellevue. The Winters House was in a deteriorated condition and scheduled for demolition. A closer look revealed its historic significance. Due to the hard work of the Bellevue Historical Society, local citizen, and the Bellevue Parks and Community Services Department, the City of Bellevue preserved, rehabilitated and placed the Winters House on the National Register of Historic Places.
Now, the Winters House is being used as a cultural and natural interpretive center, community meeting space, and the home of the Bellevue Historical Society.