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Port Townsend Historical Sites

History > Historic Homes

Name: Morris B. Sachs House
Year Built: 1890
Location: Uptown
Area: Port Townsend

Commanding wonderful water views, this house has been renovated by the current owners in recent years.

The Big Five Syndicate was a quintet of the most influential early Port Townsend businessmen. They were engaged in nearly every money-making scheme in the city and most of them held public office at one time or another. One of its members was German- born Colonel Henry Landes, a dead ringer for Teddy Roosevelt. He came to Port Townsend after fighting for the Union in the Civil War and prospecting for gold in British Columbia's Caribou country. During Port Townsend's growth period of the late 1870's & 1880's Col. Landes became Port Townsend's first banker, founding the First National Bank of Port Townsend.

This home was built for Mattie Landes and lawyer husband, Morris Sachs, as a wedding gift from the bride's father, Colonel Henry Landes in 1890. The colonel had this house built for his daughter and her husband, who had established a law practice here in 1883. The couple's marriage was a brief one; Mattie died two years later, leaving an infant daughter. Morris later moved to Seattle to become a judge.

The Dawson family was one of the early owners of the house (late 1890s). The owners of longest standing were Dr. Delaney and his family. There was a progression of owners, and the house was converted into apartments by one of them.

In the 1960s two of the Dawson children, Elizabeth and her brother Chester, returned to Port Townsend and bought back their childhood home. Elizabeth made it her home until her death in 1992 at the age of 102.

Some data modified from the National Register Information System. Many descriptions used by permission of the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce. All material copyrighted by PTguide.com.