This semicircular street, about 750 feet long, begins at NE 41st Street just west of 51st Avenue NE, and rejoins 41st just west of 55th Avenue NE. According to articles the Laurelhurst Blog and Puget Sound Business Journal, it was named for Norval Hastings Latimer (1863–1923), who had been president of the Dexter Horton National Bank. It was created in 1935.

The house that was the subject of both articles, 5515 NE Latimer Place, was, according to county records, built in 1925, two years after Latimer’s death — perhaps he had intended to purchase it once it was completed but it was his family who ended up doing so? Or perhaps it was in fact built a few years earlier. At any rate, the Laurelhurst Blog says that “the Latimer Family… re-platted the grounds to be sold in the 1930’s, saving the 20,000+ square foot lot and carriage house for themselves.“ (The recent owner of the house quoted in the PSBJ as saying “Latimer named the street after himself and sub-divided the property” was incorrect, as this happened 12 years after his death.)

Norval Hastings Latimer, 1890. Photograph by Boyd and Braas.
Norval Hastings Latimer, 1890. Photograph by Boyd and Braas.

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