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Share what you know,
and discover more.
Jun 19, 2025
Not the Up House—But Even Better
You may have heard about Edith Macefield's famous one-bedroom house in Seattle that blocked a mall, but here's an overview of the full story. She turned down $1 million—and still refused to move. In 2006, developers approached 84-year-old Edith Macefield with an offer to buy her small home in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. Their initial bid was $750,000—about six times what the home was worth. When she declined, they raised the offer to $1 million, adding relocation support and a caregiver. Edith still said no. Her house, located at 1438 NW 46th Street, was just 1,050 square feet—but it held the memories of a lifetime. She had lived there since 1952, cared for her mother inside its walls, and lost her only son at age 13. She’d also outlived four husbands, rarely speaking about her personal life and preferring to keep things private. But the stories she did share? Incredible. Edith once claimed to have worked undercover in Nazi Germany during World War II—helping children escape from concentration camps and even meeting Hitler. She said she later married famed Austrian opera singer Richard Tauber. So while every neighboring parcel sold, Edith’s remained. Developers were forced to build the five-story Ballard Blocks shopping complex around her—literally. Her one-room house now sits boxed in on all sides by concrete. During construction, Edith formed an unlikely friendship with site superintendent Barry Martin, who later became her caregiver. When she passed away in 2008, she left the home to him in her will. Barry eventually sold the house to a local real estate investor, who promised to preserve it as a symbol of resilience. But multiple efforts to restore or repurpose the home fell through—due to zoning issues, high renovation costs, and foreclosure. Over the years, buyers proposed turning it into everything from a pie shop to a public art installation. Nothing stuck. The house was even listed for lease. Today, the home still stands—vacant and tucked between two towering gray walls. It’s often called the “real-life Up house,” and Disney even tied balloons to the roof in 2009 to promote the film. But truthfully, Up was written years before Edith’s story made headlines. The movie wasn’t based on her—but the comparison stuck for good reason. Because this wasn’t just about a house. It was about holding your ground when the world tells you to move.
Not the Up House—But Even Better
You may have heard about Edith Macefield's famous one-bedroom house in Seattle that blocked a mall, but here's an overview of the full story. She turned down $1 million—and still refused to move. In 2006, developers approached 84-year-old Edith Macefield with an offer to buy her small home in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. Their initial bid was $750,000—about six times what the home was worth. When she declined, they raised the offer to $1 million, adding relocation support and a caregiver. Edith still said no. Her house, located at 1438 NW 46th Street, was just 1,050 square feet—but it held the memories of a lifetime. She had lived there since 1952, cared for her mother inside its walls, and lost her only son at age 13. She’d also outlived four husbands, rarely speaking about her personal life and preferring to keep things private. But the stories she did share? Incredible. Edith once claimed to have worked undercover in Nazi Germany during World War II—helping children escape from concentration camps and even meeting Hitler. She said she later married famed Austrian opera singer Richard Tauber. So while every neighboring parcel sold, Edith’s remained. Developers were forced to build the five-story Ballard Blocks shopping complex around her—literally. Her one-room house now sits boxed in on all sides by concrete. During construction, Edith formed an unlikely friendship with site superintendent Barry Martin, who later became her caregiver. When she passed away in 2008, she left the home to him in her will. Barry eventually sold the house to a local real estate investor, who promised to preserve it as a symbol of resilience. But multiple efforts to restore or repurpose the home fell through—due to zoning issues, high renovation costs, and foreclosure. Over the years, buyers proposed turning it into everything from a pie shop to a public art installation. Nothing stuck. The house was even listed for lease. Today, the home still stands—vacant and tucked between two towering gray walls. It’s often called the “real-life Up house,” and Disney even tied balloons to the roof in 2009 to promote the film. But truthfully, Up was written years before Edith’s story made headlines. The movie wasn’t based on her—but the comparison stuck for good reason. Because this wasn’t just about a house. It was about holding your ground when the world tells you to move.
Jun 19, 2025
Posted Date
Aug 28, 2025
Historical Record Date
Jun 19, 2025
Source Name
HouseNovel Tiktok
Source Website
https://www.tiktok.com/@housenovel/photo/7517680182812003597
May 14, 2024
May 14, 2024
The Home is Offered For Lease
In May of 2024 the local news source My Ballard reported that the house was up for lease. A spokesperson for the leasing company Kidder Matthews told the reporter that the company that owned the structure wouldn't want major changes to the property. He was quoted in the article that they would like to see "something to make use of the quaint feel of the building."
The Home is Offered For Lease
In May of 2024 the local news source My Ballard reported that the house was up for lease. A spokesperson for the leasing company Kidder Matthews told the reporter that the company that owned the structure wouldn't want major changes to the property. He was quoted in the article that they would like to see "something to make use of the quaint feel of the building."
Posted Date
Sep 05, 2025
Historical Record Date
May 14, 2024
Source Name
My Ballard
Jun 06, 2023
1438 Northwest 46th Street, Seattle, WA, USA
In 2006 Edith Macefield turned down roughly $1,000,000 to sell her house. This was to make room for a 5 story commercial building. Walt Disney publicists put balloons on top of the house - to promote its film "Up".
Jun 06, 2023
Posted Date
Jun 06, 2023
Historical Record Date
Jun 06, 2023
Source Name
Brick Story
