The 1891 Hotel Perkins stood on the northeast corner of SW 5th and Washington until 1962 when it was replaced by the Washington Center building (Key Bank is the prime tenant now). An excellent view of the hotel and its surroundings can be seen just left of center in this 1892 panorama.
(City of Portland Archives)
Tags: Dunlap Hats, European Plan, Historic, Hotel, Portland
June 15, 2010 at 7:09 am
I was surprised you didn’t mention the famous cow in the turret. Perhaps because it was on my mind, and perhaps because I was having some kind of test anxiety dream regarding the architectural history final I have to take tonight, I woke up in the middle of the night exclaiming “Perkins Cow!” and woke up my partner. The Perkins Hotel isn’t even covered on my test.
June 15, 2010 at 7:42 am
“On again locating in this city Mr. Perkins became connected with hotel interests, renting and conducting the Holton House for five years. In 1890 he began the erection of a hotel on the lot at the northeast corner of Fifth and Washington streets, the building being one hundred by one thousand feet. It is said that at that time he refused an offer of two hundred thousand dollars for the land. The hotel, a six-story structure, was opened for business on the 4th of February, 1891, and in an appropriate location on the top floor he placed a golden steer, indicative of the fact that he had made his money in the cattle business. When the widespread financial disaster of 1893-4 caught many prominent and hitherto successful business men throughout the country, Mr. Perkins became involved in financial difficulties and was compelled to part with his hotel in 1896. At that time he and his family took up their residence on Flanders street.”
- Portland, Oregon, its history and builders, Joseph Gaston
(The “one thousand feet” reference is an obvious error. one hundred by one hundred is probably correct.)
July 29, 2010 at 6:35 pm
I don’t remember that beautiful old building unfortunately. But I know that it was replaced by what was then called Farwest Savings. They had a time/temperature sign on the corner. And the sidewalk was heated to melt any ice or snow that might be on the sidewalk.
August 24, 2012 at 1:22 am
Note the building to the left, up against the hotel. In the 1892 photo there are a pair of houses there.