The house was built for J.H. Young of the Republic-Colville Stage Lines and his wife Anna Young(-Keller) by Colville contractor, Mr. D.H. Kimple. After Young's passing Anna married Louis Keller, owner of Keller Hardware. Having, for the most part, escaped refurbishing and modernization, the house still possesses some of its original furniture and some unique and stylish decoration, both inside and out.
The house is a City, State and National Historic site, having been placed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 18, 1979.
The Keller House was constructed by a Colville contractor, Mr. D.H. Kimple, for J.H. "Harry" Young in 1910. Young had come to Colville in 1885 from Spokane where he had operated a stage line from Spokane to Fort Spokane.
Louis G. Keller married Young's widow, Anna, in 1915. They resided in the beautiful home built by Young and soon became noted for their gracious entertaining. Lou Keller was from a wealthy Cincinnati family, and came to Colville in 1907 and opened a hardware business with his brother William, and L. Stannus.
Located in the Rickey building, Stannus-Keller Hardware became one of the most flourishing enterprises in Northeast Washington. In addition to being a prominent merchant, Keller became a leading figure in the growth of Colville as a commercial center of the Northeast. He was instrumental in forming the Colville Chamber of Commerce, and in 1910 he became its first president.
From 1923 to 1944 Keller was the sole owner and operator of Keller's Hardware. He retired and sold out to Louis Strauss, owner of Barman's Dry Goods, in 1944.
Keller's civic-minded generosity has survived him. In his will he bequeathed his estate to the City of Colville to be used for historical purposes and for the benefit of the public. Under the guidance of the Stevens County Historical Society, the Keller Historical Park has expanded its service to the public.
The house is presently occupied by a curator who takes care of and shows the house to visitors. Those wishing to tour inside the house must do so by appointment only, from 1-4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday.
The Keller House is a fine example of fashionable and elegant early 20th century architecture.
It was the home of two of Colville's early civic and business leaders, John J. Young (1854-1914) and Louis G. Keller (1881-1966), prominent among the small group of people whose dedication and foresight turned the frontier mining town of Colville into a thriving commercial center.
Elegant House
The spacious, bungalow-style house is an excellent example of the Craftsman Movement in the design of its interior decorations. The Craftsman Movement, which became popular in the 20th century, was inspired by the English Arts and Crafts Movement of the late 19th century.
The house exists today unaltered and in exceptionally good condition, due to the excellent care taken by the previous owners and to the ongoing maintenance and restoration being done by the Stevens County Historical Society. Visitors to the Keller Estate will enjoy the interior of the house, which contains many distinctive and noteworthy features. Some of the original furniture is displayed in the dining room and the guest bedroom upstairs as well as some original wallpaper. The Society replaced some wallpaper in keeping with the style of the home. For the most part, the interior decoration is original and unaltered.