Do you know the name Fred Anhalt? If you’ve been around Seattle for a while or you’ve been involved in Seattle real estate, you might. Real estate professionals often speak of “an Anhalt” being for sale. “An Anhalt” means one of the buildings built by Fred Anhalt, mostly apartments. I think most people agree that Anhalt’s buildings remain the most beautiful apartments ever built in Seattle. They still command premium prices. What’s amazing is that these Anhalt buildings were built in the 1920s and early 1930s. Fred Anhalt was wiped out during the Great Depression and didn’t build much after that.
Even more surprising is that Fred Anhalt wasn’t an architect. He was a designer, builder, developer, landscaper and promoter. His formal education ended after the seventh grade; he was completely self-taught. He grew up in the mid-west, learned to be a butcher and started one business after another. He was also a simple, common sense, hard-headed, confident and hard-working guy.
My personal interest in Fred Anhalt is a result of my admiration for his buildings, a general interest in architecture, a long history in the business of real estate development and a fascination with entrepreneurs and self-made business people.
Anhalt collected architectural books, mostly of English castles, and borrowed details to use in his buildings. His “Castles in Seattle” featured turrets, spiral stairways, arched doorways and windows, leaded glass windows and other classic details that still look good today.
I know so much about him because of two books published about him. The first was published by the Office of Urban Conservation of the City of Seattle in 1978, with a second printing in 1982. Titled simply, Apartments by Anhalt and authored by Lawrence Kreisman, it has a little history and features photos and plans for many Anhalt buildings. The second is a biography titled simply, Built by Anhalt by Steve Lambert and published by Harstine House in 1982. This book is based on interviews with Fred Anhalt and on tape recordings made by Anhalt late in his life. It is in the man’s own words and he was an uneducated man, so the writing is really part of the charm.
Besides the local history behind these landmark buildings, these books provide insight into an interesting character. The longer book, the biography, has a chapter at the end that sums up the wisdom of a lifetime:
Looking back on all the good times and the bad, I can honestly say I liked the good times best, but the bad times taught me more about myself and the people around me, so they have a special place in my heart.
Of all the truths that have become evident to me over the years, the one that I place the most faith in is the idea that life goes on. You can worry yourself to death over what might happen or what could have been, or you can start each day fresh, ready to do your best to make the most of whatever situation you’re in. Time seems to solve most problems, often in spite of human intervention rather than because of it.
If you’d like to visit some of the Anhalt buildings in Seattle (most still exist), a quick Google search brings a list of addresses and more history about the work of Fred Anhalt.
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