History

The roots of Beaux Arts Village tin can exist traced to the Society of Beaux Arts, a "school of every art and craft", established to develop art and its appreciation here in the Northwest. The Society was housed in the old Academy Edifice in downtown Seattle where the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel now stands. Members of the Gild dreamed of starting an art colony where they could live and work together. Three members of the Society, Frank Calvert, Alfred Renfro, and Finn Frolich, signed their names to the incorporation of the Western Academy of Beaux Arts in 1908 and purchased a fifty-acre tract of forest land, setting bated ten acres in the heart for sketching grounds, workshops, cricket, a tennis courtroom, and healthful recreation by members of the Beaux Arts Society.  Calvert deeded the i,100 feet of Lake Washington shoreline and street rights-of-style to the Western Academy and held title to the central ten-acre "Atelier Square" himself. A four-human foot strip of land on the south side of the Hamlet and a 2-pes strip on the north were kept private belongings to prevent outsiders from making the waterfront a public beach.

Certificates for membership in the Western Academy of Beaux Arts sold for $200, and certificate holders were eligible for a $250 reduction in the toll of a lot; still, sales of homesites were not brisk. The Beaux Arts ferry dock was at least 40 minutes from downtown Seattle by steam launch to Leschi and then by the Yesler trolley line. There was no electricity or telephone service, and h2o was carried from the lake by saucepan. Groceries had to be purchased when the grocery scow docked once a week or were delivered past carriage from a grocery in Midlakes.

Renfro built the first home, at what is now 2873 102nd Ave SE, and moved in to it in 1909. By the fourth dimension Calvert congenital in 1912, at what is now 2801 102nd Ave SE, there were a total of six owners in residence. James Ditty, another pioneer, built his home, at what is now 2811 106th Pl SE, in 1912. In add-on to his Beaux Arts property, Ditty endemic much of downtown Bellevue, somewhen deeding several blocks to the Metropolis of Bellevue for Bellevue Way.

By 1916, there were xv property owners living in the Village and another 63 owners held titles to lots and could vote on Village business concern. Calvert sold "Atelier Square" to the Western Academy in gild to finish paying off the loan on the 50 acres. During the Depression, the Academy forfeited the property to King County for back taxes.  In the early 1940'south, the Beaux Arts Water District purchased the country from the county and sold information technology for homesites. Thus, the dream of a communal center for artistic endeavors was lost, but the communal beach remained as a focal point of Village life. Admission to the beach has always been bachelor merely to members of the Western University, which had to approve any auction of Village property.

With the completion of the I-90 Bridge, access to areas on the eastside of Lake Washington improved dramatically, and by the 1950'due south the city of Bellevue was expanding rapidly. Beaux Arts property owners wanted to guarantee that they would not be annexed and that the beach would remain private. To protect the beach and the Village lifestyle, Judge Storey Birdseye urged his beau residents to incorporate equally a Town in 1952. Alas, incorporation as a 4th-form town required a minimum population of 300, merely the Village's population was slightly smaller than 300 in number. The phone call went along for new residents, and the incorporation goal was met shortly thereafter in 1954 with 304 Beaux Arts residents. Mothers contributing to the population increase were made members of the prestigious "300 Club."

Two governing bodies now administer the business concern activities of Beaux Arts Village:  the Town Quango and the Western Academy of Beaux Arts.

The Town Council consists of a mayor and five council members, all of whom are unpaid and elected at large from and by the residents of the town.  The Town Council oversees municipal matters, including all roads (other than the north and south beach roads) and public rights-of-style, the Beaux Arts water system and well, police and fire protection, and other municipal business organisation.

The Western Academy of Beaux Arts (WABA) consists of all property owners in Beaux Arts who elect five volunteers each year from amongst the membership to serve as the WABA Lath of Trustees.  WABA is responsible for beach matters, including the northward and south beach roads, the i,100 feet of community beach, and the docks and floats.

BEAUX ARTS DATES AND FACTS

1908 Beaux Arts Hamlet founded by Alfred Renfro, Frank Calvert, and Finn Frolich.

1911 First Beaux Arts School founded in a one-room school house located but south of the Village and used for two years.

1913 2d Beaux Arts School founded in a four-room schoolhouse house located just due north of the Village on the grounds currently occupied by Enatai Unproblematic School (role of the Bellevue Schoolhouse District).

1913 Beaux Arts Mail Office established first at what is now 10605 SE 29th and then at what is now 2708 106th Pl SE. The Post Office offered daily postal service delivery. In 1922, Rural Delivery was inaugurated to mail service boxes located at two convenient places in the Village. In 1952, City Delivery replaced rural.

1917 Electricity brought in with just ten lights in the entire Village. Puget Ability took over this service in 1954.

1921 First Summertime Picnic held.

1921 Telephone service brought to the Village.

1946 First Wintertime Dinner held at the Enatai Community Clubhouse (originally the second Beaux Arts School).

1954 Beaux Arts Village incorporated as a 4th-Class Town.  First Beaux Arts Directory produced with a map of Village residents compiled by Paula Carlson.

1960 All American City Accolade given to Beaux Arts for helping to make clean upwardly Lake Washington.

1965 Washington Natural Gas franchise granted past the Boondocks.

1965 Germ-free sewers installed by Urban center of Bellevue.

1967 First sailboat racing plan begins; later to exist renamed B.A.R.F. (Beaux Arts Racing Fleet).  First Beaux Arts Arts and crafts Off-white held.

1972 Beaux Arts Embankment designated Open-Space Greenbelt Recreational Property by Town Council.

1974 Bi-Centennial Community status officially declared for Beaux Arts Village and Bi-Centennial Celebration held.  Current and former residents invited to parade, tea, games, picnic, plan, trip the light fantastic (on tennis court), dedication in North Beach parking expanse of monument designed and executed past James Moorehead.

1977 Showtime Beaux Arts Cookbook published by Chris and Sarah White.

1981 Eastward Channel Bridge reconstruction completed in August.

1981 Petition and fund drive supporting the structure of a Town Hall gains 66 signatures.

1986 Showtime Green Book provided to Village residents.

1989 Town celebrated Washington Country Centennial with parade, picnic, Renfro Firm plaque and fourth dimension capsule.

1989 Bulletin and WABa newsletter jointly issued every bit Beaux Arts Hamlet Volce.

1993 WABA docks updated and expanded with funding from bonds issued by WABA.

1997 Celebrated Seattle Abode Tour takes place in the Village.

2000 Census puts Village population at 306.

2004 Beaux Arts History Committee forms as Town HIstorian Anne Rutledge retires.

2005 Eatables oversight initiated by WABA President Jim Airy, envisioning and redifining Eatables oversight with 3 branches:  Beach, Docks, and Woodlands.

2006 Woodlands Commission forms to draft charter policy for new Woodlands Master Programme, woodlands mapped and inventoried.

2008 Western Academy of Beaux Arts celebrates in 100-yr ceremony with a Home Tour, Old-Timer's Picnic, Parade, Eastside Heritage exhibit and more. Talking About Beaux Arts book is published past Joann Bromberg with the help of many Villagers.  Town adopts Tree Code. WABA website foes live.

2009 Town adopts Correct-of-Mode Lawmaking.  WABA creates a Shoreline Commission to oversee a shoreline restoration projection funded by WRIA8.

2010 WABA Dock Bond Fund paid off.

2011 WABA makes significant repairs to dock pilings and adds boat lifts.  Town adds walking path and landscaping along 108th Ave SE, hires a Hearing Examiner to replace the Board of Adjustment.  History Committee creates plaques for Centennial Homes.

2012 WABA completes Shoreline Restoration Pahse I.  Town publishes Municipal Code online.

HOW TO BE PART OF BEAUX ARTS HISTORY

The Beaux Arts history scrapbooks and filesare kept at an off-site storage facility and are maintained by members of the History Committee. These records, dating back to the Hamlet'south founding in 1908, include a large and fascinating collection of newspaper and magazine articles and other documents nigh Beaux Arts Hamlet and its residents, also every bit photographs of the Village, Villagers, and Village events.  They are often brought to the Winter Dinner and Summertime Picnic for the enjoyment of all who attend those events.

The History Committee consists of a small group of residents willing to volunteer their time to help organize, maintain, and make available to Villagers these records and memories of the customs'south past.  The committee appreciates your help in locating information about the Village and information technology residents.  PLEASE submit manufactures about members of your family unit, pictures to update the "House Book", school activities and honors, able-bodied participation, promotions, business activities, or other material you wish to include in the scrapbook.  The only way for things to become part of the official Town history is for the Committee to receive items!