LongJohn's Legacy

North Hill Five-Plex,4720 – 4728 Chrisella Rd. E., Edgewood, WA. 98372

Behind our home but before the wooded ravine, on 3.5 acres overlooking the Puyallup Valley, each unit is one bedroom, ¾ bath (showers only).  Four have oak floors and picture windows facing the valley.  One has a fireplace.  All have natural gas space heaters.  Sizes vary from 480 s.f. to 670 s.f.  Built in 1924, one unconfirmed piece of history: in its early years, the oak floor served as a speakeasy dancehall!

Vacancies occur rarely.  LongJohn set the standard.  He moved here in the mid-1960s. Like clockwork he was at my door the first of each month, with crisp bills in hand to pay rent.  In early 2001 things changed.  A few days in to the month, not having seen LongJohn, I went to find him.  When I knocked on his door, he called from his chair:  "I knew you'd figure it out.  The rent's on the dresser."  A few months later, after a couple of days in the hospital, he lasted only a few hours in a nursing home.  If he couldn't have his independence here on North Hill, lingering on was not his way.

Tenants pay for lights, gas and TV cable.  Owner pays for water, hot water and garbage.

All tenants are asked to keep noise to a level that is not intrusive to neighbors.  No smoking is permitted inside.