Bomb and fallout shelters along with a church designed by well-known northwest architect Roland Terry.

While he said his survey is just getting under way, Lee O’Connor with the King County Historic Preservation Program said coordinators already have made a couple of significant finds, including the above.

With funding from a federal grant, O’Connor and the county plan to survey some 100 properties in Kenmore looking especially at post-World War II architecture.

“This is kind of cutting edge,” said King County Historic Preservation Officer Julie Koler, adding the Kenmore study is the first survey of its kind in King County. Both Koler and O’Connor said pre-war studies have been done extensively, but while it’s a growing trend, it’s still unusual for anyone to take a formal look at buildings that appeared in the mid-1900s.

The survey is being done with the help and cooperation of Kenmore City Hall, O’Connor said. Koler complimented Kenmore leaders, especially Assistant City Manager Nancy Ousley.

“Not all cities see the value of these things,” Koler added. County information notes work will build on previous historical studies completed in Kenmore.

O’Connor said news articles and a state study dubbed “Nifty from the Last 50” helped identify some of the local properties to be studied. As the name implies, the state study looked at structures completed in the last 50 years. After taking into account the information already available and looking at when homes were built, the decision was made to devote a good bit of the current study to Kenmore’s Uplake Terrace neighborhood. That’s where O’Connor uncovered the two bomb shelters.

According to O’Connor, news articles show a 1955 Uplake home boasts a concrete bomb shelter with metal doors. In 1960, when the purpose of such shelters had switched from protecting occupants against conventional bombs to blocking nuclear fallout, a fallout shelter was part of the design for another Uplake home. O’Connor noted there may be other shelters in the area that simply didn’t make the news. He considers shelters significant as they were a unique manifestation of the early Cold War period.

O’Connor said it is Kenmore’s Episcopal Church of the Redeemer on Northeast 182nd Street (pictured in slideshow) that shares an architectural pedigree with Seattle’s high-end Canlis Restaurant. He added that architect Terry is noted for numerous Seattle buildings, but many people readily can identify with the well-known restaurant.

Besides the already mentioned properties, O’Connor’s study will include 12 houses that made the state’s “Nifty” list, as well as seven properties identified in the local history “Kenmore by the Lake,” put out by the Kenmore Heritage Society.

O’Connor termed his study a “reconnaissance” or “windshield” survey.

“It is not an intensive survey where we try to find out every bit of information we can,” he said.

Instead, O’Connor will travel to spots of interest, write down a physical description of the properties involved and possibly take pictures from public roadways. He emphasized the work is informational only in nature, that any findings will have no statutory effect on property owners. Through letters sent to homeowners, the county indicated that for targeted homes, they would love to learn the year buildings were constructed, the architect involved, modifications to the exterior and names of subsequent owners.

Still, O’Connor said he is not looking for extremely detailed information, though if anyone wants to share what they know, he’s more than willing to listen.

What happens to the information once it is gathered? O’Connor said it will be made available to property owners, while the city can use it in planning efforts. Of course, the survey also is intended simply to expand the historical knowledge of the area. O’Connor plans on completing his survey work this month and next. His results will be shared with the public at a community meeting sometime in February or March. In the meantime, O’Connor said he’s trying to advertise the survey as much as possible.

“Hopefully, when I show up taking pictures… they won’t think I’m a tax assessor or something,” he joked.

O’Connor can be reached at (206) 296-7409 and lee.oconnor@kingcounty.gov.