Birge, George E., House

About this property

The George E. Birge House is a historical residence located in the Edison District of Centralia, Washington and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1986. The Queen Anne-style home was built by George Birge in the mid-1890s. Birge was a noted Lewis County, Washington businessman, particularly in timber. The historic, asymmetrical house, known for its turret and exterior color scheme, has remained a private residence during its lifetime. The George E. Birge House was built approximately in the mid-1890s by George Edward Birge, a local businessman and public servant noted for his role in the region's lumber industry. The parcel of land, consisting of three lots, was once part of a 320-acre (130 ha) donation land claim known as either the Holmes Donation Claim or more commonly, the Lewis County Farm. The grounds were originally bought by Birge's wife, Lizzie, in 1893. Following Birge's death, Lizzie sold the home to Byrd Thompson in 1910. The home came under the ownership of the Freeman family who began a rehabilitation of the historic residence, having their efforts published in several news articles and home restoration journals. The home was of use as a free bed and breakfast for missionaries beginning under the Jones family ownership, who purchased the Birge House in 1993. During the 2000s and 2010s, the residence was often part of home tours in Centralia. George Edward Birge was born on December 30, 1855 in Horicon, Wisconsin living there through high school, eventually moving to work with his father in Appleton. He moved to Clay Center, Nebraska in 1878 where he began a savings and loan in 1880. He remained as a banker in Clay Center until 1899, moving to the state of Washington when he began opening or investing in several lumber companies and mills. Residing in Centralia and successful in his endeavors, he was elected to lead several lumber agencies that oversaw the cooperation and financial success of the timber industry throughout most of central and western Lewis County. Birge served two terms as Centralia's mayor in 1894 and 1895 and participated in numerous social clubs, including as president of a bicycle club. He continued to invest and manage a variety of banks, businesses, lumber companies and mills, as well as oversight of multiple economic organizations, over the remainder of his life. Birge was married to Lizzie B. Thurber in 1882 and they had two children. Their daughter, Mabel, was married in the home in October 1909. Birge died from a blood cot after a battle with typhoid fever at his historic home on December 26, 1909. It was suspected that he contacted typhoid because the home's water supply and outhouse were too close in proximity. Funeral services were held at the house and the viewing and burial were attended by several hundred people. Almost the entirety of Centralia's businesses shut down for the day, although no city-wide closure was officially organized.

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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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