Ballard’s most famous hold-out, Edith Macefield passed away on Sunday of natural causes, according to the medical examiner’s office. My Ballard has received a few emails in the last couple of weeks saying that ambulances have been seen coming and going from her home. She was 86 years old.
Edith lived in the same house on NW 46th St. for the last 56 years. She made national news in 2006 when she refused to sell her home for $1 million to developers. Construction crews then proceeded to build the development around her. “I went through World War II, the noise doesn’t bother me,” Macefield told the Seattle PI. “I liked the old Ballard. The new one — you can have it.” Edith’s refusal drew many supporters, especially Ballard residents worried about the changes new development is bringing to the neighborhood. “I will always think of the true Ballard spirit when I see this lady’s house,” wrote Heidi on My Ballard earlier this year. “She is Ballard,” wrote another supporter. Edith, we never met you, but you will be missed.
Macefield has no known surviving family, so we’ll have to wait and see what will happen next with her property and house.
Update: The local media is now on the story. We drove by Edith’s house at 5 p.m. and discovered TV crews from KIRO and KOMO out front. A newspaper photographer with a ladder was trying to get the best shots of the house. Take a look at the Seattle PI’s story and Seattle Times’ story.
31 responses so far ↓
1 Joel // Jun 17, 2008 at 10:24 am
Well, that’s damn shame, cause when it came right down to it, Edith was a sweet old lady. Hopefully there will be no disrespectful comments made here.
It would appear that it’s too late for the developers to actually take down the house and modify the building to accomodate the space, but you never know!
2 srcsmgrl // Jun 17, 2008 at 10:52 am
It was her right to choose to stay there. I hope the stress of having all that construction around her didn’t do her in. I admire her spunk in sticking it out.
3 m // Jun 17, 2008 at 10:55 am
Edith didn’t mistake wealth for abundance. Her little home was enough for her, and much much more than a million dollars.
R.I.P.
4 Nina // Jun 17, 2008 at 11:32 am
I like her timing. Right after they finish the floor at her roof height.
5 Eric // Jun 17, 2008 at 11:41 am
R.I.P., Edith. I think her property should be protected in some way to respect her spirit. Turn it into a small little “Edith Macefield” park.
6 kristy // Jun 17, 2008 at 11:51 am
so sad! i drive by her house everyday and it always made me smile…
7 Jennie // Jun 17, 2008 at 12:44 pm
I agree. I always hoped there could be a small courtyard there in her memory. Of course, if there was it would probably be filled with the workers from the store complex there taking their smoke breaks, but somehow I think she might approve of that as well.
8 MaryWit // Jun 17, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Rest in Peace, Edith. You were my hero.
It seems that many of my heros have died over the past year or so…people who exemplified the true spirit of Seattle–Walt Crowley, Vietnam Vet cum Market busker Jim Hinde, to name two, and now Edith. Who will take their place? The condo flippers? Developers? Corporate frat boys? Dot.commers? It seems that the magic buzz-words, “economic development” have replaced the sacred priorities of our very humanity in our city. These were the people with character, strength and courage to stand up for our communities and to preserve the things that really matter.
We’ll miss you, all.
9 JP // Jun 17, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Edith’s story always reminded me a little of this Disney cartoon I’d watch all the time as a kid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y881yjtFluQ
10 jope // Jun 17, 2008 at 1:02 pm
If the property reverts to the city, I really hope they put in a little commemorative park there.
11 Suthii // Jun 17, 2008 at 1:36 pm
“Who will take their place? The condo flippers? Developers? Corporate frat boys? Dot.commers?”
Didn’t take long for someone to use her death to attack others.
RIP Edith.
12 gooner // Jun 17, 2008 at 1:38 pm
i don’t disagree that some sort of commemorative something would be nice, but who would really like to sit in a park surrounded by 40 foot walls, right on a street and listening to the ballard bridge traffic?
13 Peter // Jun 17, 2008 at 1:40 pm
The cartoon I always think of was Warner Bros. “One Froggy Evening“, where Michigan J. Frog reveals his hidden talent to one person and only one person until at last they grow so insane that they bury the frog in a time capsule. Later in the year 2056, ACME Building Disintegraters come along to make room for new and improved 1050’s future development.
I can only hope that one of the bean counters employed by the construction firm unearths a cursed singing frog under the floorboards of Edith’s house.
I too never met her, and am saddened by the news of her passing.
14 Lindsarella // Jun 17, 2008 at 1:44 pm
I’m at work and I can’t see the Disney video… But I know exactly which one you’re talking about- the little house that gets surrounded by grumpy city buildings!!! So sweet. RIP with a Smile, Edith!
15 Peter // Jun 17, 2008 at 1:46 pm
The PI is also carrying this now:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/367335_obitmacefield18.html
16 Kristen // Jun 17, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Re: the speculation of the distribution of the property:
If Ms. Macefield died with a valid will, it will have to be probated because she owned real property. This will take some time and the property will likely sit vacant in the interim and will eventually be disposed of however the benificiary sees fit. The value of the property currently is certainly greatly diminshed and will have little value to anyone other than the developers of the surrounding land. There’s no way anyone will get a million for it or even a fraction of that.
If she died without a valid will, the property will go to her closest living relative according to the distribution scheme set forth in WA state law . Very rarely does a person die with no living relative somewhere no matter how distant. If she is the rare person who had no relatives, the property will go to the state, not the city. (Yes, I am a lawyer for those of you wondering the source of my knowledge). The state will then dispose of it, generally by sale through auction to the highest bidder.
I would pretty much guarantee that the city will not purchase the land for a park, unfortunately.
17 Suthii // Jun 17, 2008 at 3:29 pm
“I can only hope that one of the bean counters employed by the construction firm unearths a cursed singing frog under the floorboards of Edith’s house.”
Actually, in that old Warner Brother’s cartoon it’s a working class construction worker who finds the singing frog, then uses his life savings to try and start a theater with his find but ultimately goes insane when he realizes the frog will only sing for him.
Every time I drive by the development, I think two things.
1). It’s great that Edith did what she wanted to do with her private property and the state wasn’t around to force her to sell. and 2). Look at all those working class construction workers, plumbers, electricians going to work and making a good living building things we need. I’ll feel the same way by all the people who will work in the businesses that open in our neighborhood.
RIP Edith.
18 Hal // Jun 17, 2008 at 4:26 pm
It’s been a bad day. This doesn’t help. I’m with Kristy, every time I’d drive/walk/bike past her house it made me happy. I loved pointing her place out to people and telling them what was going on there. Regretfully, I never got to meet her. Today I left some flowers like I meant to do before. Too late… I want to be her if I grow up-
19 Lynne // Jun 17, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Edith stood her ground, stayed in her home as she wanted to, and didn’t sell out.
Good for her!
20 aptgal // Jun 17, 2008 at 8:39 pm
JP. That Video Rules!!! RIP Edith.
21 act two // Jun 18, 2008 at 5:14 am
Perhaps Mrs. Macefield wished, like many elderly, to simply live out her remaining days in the relative comfort of the home of which she had known for these very many long years.
It seems that many wish to make something much more out of this simple, dignified and very reassuring concept.
Would Mrs Macefield have preferred a quiet, dignified period of mourning as opposed to a media circus and many person’s subject opinion of what this modest wish might represent?
Whatever has become of respectability. Has it been reduced to political commentary, speculation of intention and most distasteful the ruminations of what is to become of her home.
22 Joel // Jun 18, 2008 at 6:11 am
Wow, I actually agree with a post my by Suthii. :-) Nice one!
23 lakreitz // Jun 18, 2008 at 7:09 am
Rest in Peace Edith,
You lived out your last days in your own home. You passed on with dignity. You didn’t get dragged off to a retirement home to live out your days surrounded by others in various stages of dying. You were lucky.
Yesterday, I noticed that your blue car was gone. Though I thought that was unusual, the last thing that occured to me was that you were gone too. I guess I thought you would be around for a lot longer.
Long before you became a famous hold out and the property that surrounded you housed General Disposal’s garbage trucks, I admired you. Living there must have been a challenge because it could smell unpleasant on hot days and it is a pretty busy street. And, I also admired the fact that you regularly were out on the street picking up the trash. It was your neighborhood. You were proud of it, even if it was just a thoroughfare for most people.
I hope there will be a memorial service for you. A lot of people will want to say good-bye.
24 Sig // Jun 18, 2008 at 7:39 am
The unspoken hero is Barry Martin, the construction senior superintendent. Read the PI story. It’s really about the two of them.
RIP Edith. You are an inspiration to us all.
25 Jordan // Jun 18, 2008 at 7:52 am
That’s really sad that Macefield is gone. It’s amazing that there aren’t laws against constructing tall buildings next to pre-existing residences blocking the light and view completely on three sides. I know there are laws about what homeowners can do on and with their property, apparently the same doesn’t apply to developers. I guess it’s better to own the city planners/council or whoever permits stuff like this than your home.
26 Kristen // Jun 18, 2008 at 11:58 am
A little known fact is that there are no laws portecting anyone’s views in the state, let alone Ms. Macefield’s. Property rights extend no farther than the property line. What’s amazing is that most people don’t know this and are ecaught unaware when some gigantic building is built next to them that blocks all the light and views and there’s nothing that can be done. Unless you have a view easment from all the surrounding properties, you have no right to a view.
27 Ann // Jun 18, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Every morning I drive by her house to go to work. Every now and then I would see her outside feeding the pigeons. Sometimes she’d wave but mostly she did her own thing.
Then they started building and Ediths pigeons disappeared.
I really admire her for standing up for what was important to her. She must have really loved Ballard to try and preserve a part of old Ballard for the rest of us.
She will be missed by more people than she probably would have ever guessed.
28 Jonathan // Jun 20, 2008 at 8:30 am
Hopefully they don’t tear down the house but find some way to move it to another location where it can be a permanent Ballard landmark for all to enjoy. Edith is a Ballard legend and it would be a shame to erase her legacy by tearing down what she loved most: her home. I’ve heard she enjoyed jazz, maybe they can convert it into a swanky jazz club or maybe a museum.
29 Mazz // Jun 20, 2008 at 10:31 pm
“Edith Macefield” park would be a nice little green patch and much needed too. A gentle reminder of what use to be.
30 truthinad // Jun 27, 2008 at 4:28 pm
It’s time now to rename your blog to “NOT My Ballard.” My first Ballard home is also gone.
31 Richard Andrews // Jun 30, 2008 at 3:37 pm
I really am the guy assembling the documentary on Edith. Three years in the making now, it has been quite a labor of love. But I was just not a journalist in this odyssey, I had gained her trust, and became a friend. She let me film her on tape, albeit in small spurts, but what sage and wisdom I caught. After talking with the Investigative Arm of the Seattle Medical Examiner’s office, and with Evergreen, the Mortuary, yet another twist has developed. (Please see my blog for the unusual end to all of this: ballardbullshit.blogspot.com)
I granted my only interview to the local paper, Ballard News-Tribune.(An excellent article written by Steve Shay.) The predators over at the PI and Times wanted my blood, and I wouldn’t give it. It was a local story, and I felt it should remain that way.
One little snippet for your readers: I asked Edith if, when she was in her prime, if she thought Clark Gable was a real swooner for her. “Gable?” she said. “Hell, he had big ears and he was ugly.” Somewhat taken aback, I asked, “Well, um, well who would kind of excite your fancy then?”
“I wouldn’t mind at all if Robert Redford showed up in a pink Cadillac convertible–I’d sure give him a tour of Ballard he’d never forget!”
And lastly, a big thanks to all of your readers for their wonderful sincerities. Hopefully by Christmas the DVD documentary will be finished.
Richard Andrews
Leave a Comment