The Guests Are In Fine Spirits At Wurdemann Mansion

No doubt there was an elegant party late last night at the grand old Wurdemann mansion in Lake Forest Park, where the spirits of the people who lived there between 1914 and 1973 gathered to look over what the rest of us will see starting today.

The mansion, the 1990 Designer Show House sponsored by the Seattle Symphony Women's Association, will be open from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily through Oct. 28 to display the results of a yearlong renovation and an interior decorated by 25 members of the American Society of Interior Designers.

But last night, the spirits of Harry and May Wurdemann, the first of the mansion's occupants, would have hosted the affair. Wurdemann, an internationally prominent eye surgeon, built the Georgian mansion for his young bride after they moved here from Wisconsin.

And, oh, the talk about happy days gone by!

Wurdemann reminisced about cruising in his yacht, the Lady May, in Lake Washington from the Lake Forest Park pier all the way to Seattle on sunny summer days. His wife was enthralled with the newly planted herb garden, which so closely resembles the one she planted in the early days, and the lawn tennis court.

Adolf and Esther Linden were there and he ``tsk-tsked'' about today's asking price of $1.45 million. Linden, who became president of Puget Sound Savings & Loan, bought the mansion from Wurdemann in 1924 for $12,500 and thought that was ``too much money.'' But he allowed he was proud that his wife had spent $100,000 furnishing the house, and he developed a library that was recognized as one of the finest in the state.

John and Grace Clancy, who moved there in 1937, had a grand time. He made his money as the owner of a saloon south of Yesler Way. Recognized as ``boss'' of the First Ward in Seattle, he entertained last night's guests with hilarious behind-the-scenes tales of Seattle politics.

Arie and Wilhemina Vanderspeck were there, too. Longtime Lake Forest Park residents still remember them for their hospitality and twice-a-day open houses (morning coffee at 11, afternoon tea at 4). Those started in 1945 when they moved in. He was the consul for the Netherlands and an international banker.

Wilhemina Vanderspeck would fill the rooms with orchids, begonias and palms grown by her son, John, who was a botanist. The Vanderspecks moved out in 1959 when the taxes became too high and it was impossible to find a staff large enough to take care of the grounds and mansion.

Joe Busch was the last owner to live in the house - from 1959. He tended the grounds himself with the help of his son, James, who was assigned the five-hour task of mowing the grass.

Recently, there have been hundreds of workers at the Wurdemann mansion. Tickets to see their work are $8 at the door.