Building Dialogue is Historic Seattle’s bi-monthly reading and discussion group. Engage in a facilitated conversation about books, films, articles, podcasts, and more on preservation and the built environment with others who share an interest — and perhaps some expertise — in the subject.

We will share the reading/content assignment before each meeting then hold a virtual (via Zoom) facilitated discussion about the work. Drop in for one or join us for all – a commitment to participate in every discussion is not required to take part.

The discussion topic for our next Building Dialogue is the landmarking of The Cayton-Revels House. The house, located in Capitol Hill, was built in 1902 for journalist-couple Horace Roscoe Cayton and Susie Revels Cayton. This month’s program will include a short presentation from Taha Ebrahimi, who authored and submitted the nomination, followed by a group discussion about the nomination process and the house’s history. We will also be joined by Harold Woodson, the great-grandson of the Cayton-Revels, and the current owners, Kathleen Jo Ackerman and Erie Jones.

We look forward to being in conversation with Taha, Harold, Erie, Kathy, and, of course, all of you on May 27th!

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Please see below for the list of resources shared throughout the program. Taha’s presentation, “Community-Led Landmarking: De-Mystifying the Process,” is available for download here.  

Cayton-Revels House History & Information

• Cayton-Revels House Nomination 
• The extraordinary Seattle legacy of the Cayton-Revels family (Crosscut)
• The Cayton-Revels House on Capitol Hill stands on a solid foundation of commitment to preservation (Seattle Times)
• The Cayton-Revels House – A Newsworthy Landmark (Historic Seattle)

Preservation & Landmarking Resources

• City of Seattle Historic Preservation Program
• Landmarking in the City of Seattle 
• Incentives for Historic Preservation
• Best Practices in Preservation 
• Africatown Community Land Trust 
• Capitol Hill Historical Society

Tours & Happenings

• HistoryLink’s Self-Guided Walking Tours
• Seattle Architecture Foundation Walking Tour App
• Rooted in History: African American Heritage Sites in King County (presented by the Washington Trust and The Black Heritage Society of Washington State)

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Image Info: The Cayton-Revels House in 1909, sourced from The Seattle Republican.

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Historic Seattle’s virtual programming is funded in part by a grant from the Eldridge Campbell Stockton Fund for Washington of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.