1908: Seventy acres on the lagoon and southwest shore of Steilacoom Lake are purchased for a summer cottage for the Rhodes family.

By 1912, two cottages exist: one for Henry Rhodes and the other for his son Edward. After Edward is killed in WWI, the family decides to build a large estate home on the site of Edwards’s cottage.

1921: Rhodes hires Heath, Gove, and Bell, Tacoma architects to design and build an eight bedroom, 11,000 square foot mansion. Construction of the house, carriage house, stables, and a boathouse is complete in 1922. The original cottage also occupies the property. The estate is called “Rhodesleigh” and is home to the Rhodes family until 1939. The Carriage House serves not only to garage autos and carriages, but also as a milking parlor.

During the 1920’s: Rhodes acquires and develops several tracts of land adjacent to his estate.

1939: The entire Rhodesleigh estate is sold to Norton Clapp, prominent forest products executive. Clapp occupies the mansion, he later subdivides and sells much of the estate.

1941: The Carriage House is sold and converted to a residence. A kitchen is created by combining the milking parlor with part of one of the three auto bays. (The other two auto bays are still used as a garage). Spacious rooms are created and finished, an inviting glazed porch is added at the southeast end. Original doors, windows, hardware and paneling are retained.

In the 1950’s: A large one-story living room is added, giving a more spacious living quarters. The exterior of the new west wing is tastefully finished to match the rest of the house.

After 1965: A second story is added over the living room by David and Janet MacDonald, providing more bedrooms. The exterior is finished in stucco with false half-timbers, with dormers matching those of the original structure.

Other additions have included skylights and a brick patio with a fireplace.

Today: The Carriage House retains the Tudor style of the original with its steep gabled roof, unique half timbers, and beautiful leaded glass. Significant features of the original construction are the exposed rafters, the nine dormers with leaded panes, painted interior paneling and the extra-wide door to the “milking room” with its strap hinges. It comprises of about 4,000 square feet overall.