It's a house out of a dream!

It's a house out of a dream!
Unknown Carpenter Gothic home

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

2 photos of Bella Grove Plantation in White Castle, Louisiana


I found 2 photos of Belle Grove (Iberville Parish, Louisiana just outside White Castle). It was a 75 room mansion built in 1857 by John Andrews. It was torn town in the 1950's.

Wonderful Victorian detail with old Mary Blair

I'm not sure where this home is but the photo was taken on Jan 8, 1921 of Aunt Mary Blair (Aged 86). The photo was taken by Mary Dockham Hall-Blair with her new camera that she received on Christmas. Wonderful porch details.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Pair of bungalow postcards - Portland OR

Thanks to David Kramer, the mystery of these wonderful bungalow homes is solved. First, these homes are not even in Portland at all. They are both in Pasadena, CA and are still standing. The top home is the F.W. Hawks House the second is the M.E. Cole House. Portland has it's share of amazing bungalows including the Wilbur Reid house but these postcards are a LIE!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Mystery of Lindeth Cottage at 47th and Stark St in Portland OR

Located at 47th and Stark is the most beautiful stone wall with carved entrance columns. "LINDETH" on one side and "COTTAGE" on the other. Today the wall is in front of a rather modern church structure. What ever could this Lindeth Cottage be? I figured I'd start with the Sanborn maps. These maps were created for fire insurance purposes and exist for Portland in various years (1889, 1901, 1905, 1908-09, and 1924). Up until 1909-1910 this land would mostly have been farmland that later became Laurelhurst and surrounding developments. Checking the 1908-09 maps show no structure as suspected. The next available year of 1924 also shows no structure. Something that lived there had a very short life. The last piece of the puzzle I was able to determine was from the City of Portland itself. The current property address, when searched, shows a construction date of 1917. Odd given the modern church but that must in some way be tied to the original structure. I still have no idea what the building looked like. Just a block away is the Wilbur Reid house built in 1914. It's a rather famous Arts & Crafts residence. Does anyone have photos of this cottage?

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

View of NE 37th and Sandy before I-84. Portland, Oregon 1947

Hard to find view of the future site of I-84 (before structure clearing). The red X's show a few of the houses torn down to create the freeway. At lower right those houses were replaced by a large grassy space bordering the freeway. The houses torn down at left make up the border of the concrete wall bordering the freeway. All of the houses on the North side of Senate are still there today, though their backyard is a freeway wall. This photo is courtesy the Portland City Archive.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Chamber of Commerce Fire of 1906. Portland Oregon.

Wonderful view of not only the fire, which is why this image was taken by the Portland Fire Department, but also of the city itself. None of these buildings in this photo exist today. Note all the people on the roofs watching! I'm particularly interested in knowing more about the building the that "WILSON HIGH BALL" sign is attached to! It's for whiskey so you know it's got to be good!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

2 early views of Portland by Abell & Son photographers


I purchased these photos as digital scans from the owner (they were selling for a FORTUNE on ebay back in 2007). Not the best scans and the photos both have some damage but these images are spectacular views from vantage points that I have not seen before.

East Side School, Portland Oregon.

This school building was originally located near (on the same property or close) as the current Washington High School. That would make it the first of 3 structures serving the inner Eastside. The second was built in 1906 and burned down in the 20's. The third is what we have today. This is believed to be the only image of this school before it's expansion (see PPS website where they have it miscategorized as "Old Central" that used to be downtown). This photo was purchased from the Buckman family.

Frank Dekum house in Portland Oregon c. 1864

Wonderful old photo of the Frank Dekum house. It was built in 1864 and was originally located on the entire block between 13th, 14th, Morrison, and Yamhill. Unknown architect. I do not know when this house was demolished but this block is completely filled with the 405 freeway today which opened in the late 60's early 70's depending on section. Most likely it was torn down before that as there are very few images of this house. In the background you can see the original Portland High School which was built in 1883.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Brand new house Albany, Oregon 1914

Wonderful photo postcard of a brand new home in Albany OR. Mailed in 1914 to Mrs. O. K. Wilcox in Fruitland, Idaho. I just love these early images where you really see how these houses were built!

Schulz Studio photograph of State School for the Deaf

Wonderful original image of the State School for the Deaf in Vancouver. Originally built in 1889 this photo was probably taken in the early 20th century given the ivy growth. This building was eventually called Mead Hall. It was condemned by the Vancouver fire marshal just after WWII. The exact date it was lost is unknown. Great image of a lost piece of Vancouver History.

1602 8th Street in an unknown city/town. Ideas?

There are a number of "1602 8th St" addresses in and around where I found this photo (Portland, OR). For example: Gresham, Oregon City, Columbia City, Washougal, and Camas all have this address. Only Oregon city has a google street view, which does not appear to match, and I haven't made it to all of the locations to verify. Portland uses Avenue for it's numbered streets (after the 1930's) and this address is fairly central and commercial in both NE and SE so I've ruled out Portland.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Henry VonBehren Family photo

Slightly faded but a wonderful image none the less. The back of the image has written "Henry J VonBehren Family". The photo was printed by W. B. Pickett of Salem Oregon. I was not able to find anything on the family. There are other images by this photographer about on the internet.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Old photo of a great San Francisco home (2331 Lake St)

I found this photo recently. The handwriting on the back was pretty bad but thanks to google I was able to determine that the house is at 2331 Lake St in San Francisco. The house is still there today and looks exactly the same!!! Way to go SF!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Bailey Reflector Company kerosene chandelier (electrified)

Ok so it's not an old photo but I'm so glad this rare chandelier has survived! This stunning example can be seen at Tolly's Restaurant in Oakland, OR. Apparently it used to be in an old carousel. This Bailey chandelier dates somewhere in the 1880-1889 range

Sunday, November 14, 2010

John Prescott Bartow residence

I don't know the location but the names of all of the people in the photo are listed. At left are Nellie and Harry Dakin. The 3 at right are John Prescott & Frances Bartow with Amy Frances Bartow. Faded and there is one spot of damage but a great image none the less. Great architectural detail!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Mechanical Hall and water tower Oregon Agricultural College

Great stereoview photo of Mechanical Hall and water tower at Oregon Agricultural College in Corvallis OR.

Alpha Hall, Oregon Agriculture College

Wonderful old residence hall built by Samuel G. McFadden in 1889. Corvallis, OR

Unusual Victorian duplex for Oregon State University

This dwelling was built as an "experiment station" at Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR. Built almost like a duplex but I'm guessing it's classrooms as each side is oddly narrow. Note the side door that has no stairs.

Victorian Corvallis Public School

Typical Victorian era schoolhouse. Sadly this too is gone along with most schools of this era.

Chemawa Indian Training School

Sadly this building is no longer around but those dormers!

Oregon State Insane Asylum

Very early view of the Oregon State Insane Asylum in Salem Oregon. Parts of the original structure survive today thanks to a recent restoration.

Stereoview image of early Portland, OR

Well not much is still there today but if you look closely you will find some survivors

SW Portland in a turn of the century flood

This is not a photo I own (saved from ebay) but the image was so amazing that I had to share. This house was at 6705 SW Virginia Ave. Amazing!!!

Original Clackamas County Courthouse

Wonderful street level view of the original Clackamas Country Courthouse.

Sepia view of the Lewis & Clark Expo

Wonderful view across Guild Lake at the Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition in 1904. I love the street lighting.

Schwalbe home in Yakima, WA

This is a photo postcard of my great great grandfathers home in Yakima WA. It is still there today and the older home show in the background is also there but it has lost it's porch (and looks rather odd without it too I might add).

Victorian home somewhere in Sellwood

This is one of the first old architecture photos I purchased. I found it in Seattle but bought it because it said it was Sellwood in Portland. It's a large neighborhood so I suppose it could still be there. Anyone recognize it?

Newly built home in Seattle

I really love images of houses that are new and fresh with all the correct trim, windows, and siding. This home is/was somewhere in Seattle.

2 views of the original Seaside Hotel, Seaside, OR


2 views of the old Seaside Hotel. I'm guessing one with bare shingles and another after it was painted?

Small snapshot of the original Salem OR capitol building

One of my favorite random small snapshots. Dome in the background. Burned 1935.

Lost Neighborhood

Children at the corner of Wheeler and McMillan Streets in Portland OR. The homes and even the streets themselves were wiped out to build the Memorial Coliseum in the early 1960's.

Early view of the Forestry Center

Built for the Lewis & Clark Expo. Delighted Portlanders and the world until it burned in 1964. Original Kiser photograph.

Hardware store owner J. J. Kadderly's SE home

J. J. Kadderly Home formerly at SE 7th and SE Pine, Portland OR

Buckman House in NE Portland

Amazing Cyrus and Jane Buckman House. Formerly 108 SE 18th. Replaced by a rather interesting 1961 structure that today houses Amalgamated Transit Union.

Albert Rhodes House, Seattle WA

A rather interesting double exposed photograph of the Albert Rhodes house in Seattle, WA (10th Ave and E Howe). The home was designed by A. W. Gould in 1914-15. Albert Rhodes started the Rhodes Department Store in downtown Seattle which later became Lamonts. The home is rather striking and austere and looks much like other commercial structures designed by Gould including the Artic Building and King County Courthouse (before addition). Though black and white try and picture the green glazed roof tiles!

Unknown Colonial Revival Home

I'm not sure where this house is/was but it is truely AMAZING. Look at all those details! I'm guessing it's either Western Oregon or Western Washington given the Douglas Fir trees and that it was purchased in Portland.