VP fan Bart commented on last Friday’s post of Goose Hollow that the Lincoln High School site was once the Kamm estate. Here’s a photo from much the same vantage point showing the area in 1894. The Kamm house is the big white building in upper center. To the right of that in the distance is the twin-spired Temple Beth Israel. There’s also a two-story home (center, just below the long barn) that still stands on the corner of SW 17th and Columbia. The main street going off to the lower left is Jefferson. Anyone know what the big building off to the left is?
(City of Portland Archives)
Vintage Portland 
Could this photo from Vintage Seattle have the same building (off to the left) you are wondering about?? Looks like it to me.
The link Pete sent is a panorama published in the West Shore magazine in 1888 of the south end of the old northwest neighborhood. The prominant house in the center is the Richard Knapp mansion (built 1882), Portland’s iconic Victorian Mansion. It faced east, taking up the entire block between NW 17th and 18th and NW Davis and Everett. The house was torn down circa 1950 even though it was in beautiful condition and a truly remarkable structure. Many of the architectural pieces were auctioned off (The dining room sideboard is now the backbar at Turtles resturant in Eugene). The site is now a parking lot for St. Mary’s but the elaborate retaining wall and gate posts still surround the site.
Thanks Bart. What is the building off to the right in the panorama, with the large spires? Is it the same building that’s in the original posting photo off to the far left?
Portland High School, which became Lincoln High School in 1909
What is the building that looks like a church, in a slightly upward slanted line from the Knapp house. There appear to be two gigantic, rather bulbous towers at the opposite end of it, from the end closer to the trees.
Oh, I just read some the description again and it must be the Temple Beth Israel. Sorry. I guess I’d better quit looking for now–I seem to be getting punch-drunk over these views of historic Portland.
Mike’s right, the grand building in the left of the photograph is the old “Portland High School” (1883) which was loacted at SW 14th and Morrison. Quite impressive!
This photo was taken by the famous western photographer William Henry Jackson, closer to 1892. How do we know? on the higher resolution versions at PH&M, one can see the upper stories of the Hotel Portland still under construction. That hotel opened in 1892.
Hello Ken Hawkins, didn’t the Hotel Portland actually open in 1890? That’s what several reputable sources say. The fact that the Marquam Grand (completed 1891), or the original Oregonian bldg.(completed 1892) are not visible in the higher resolution photograph leads me to believe that it was taken in the latter-half of 1889. The church under construction in the background above the Kamm estate was the New Grace ME church, completed and consecrated in 1890. That and the fact that there are mature looking crops in the fields and the trees are fully leaved makes it apparent that this was taken late spring to early fall 1889.
Could this photo be even older? I think the Presbyterian and First Baptist Churches on SW 12th might have been fully completed by 1894. Not seeing them in the photo. Great photo!! If only it were possible to step inside for a day…