A Typical Residence, c1909

VP fan and past contributor Roxanne has sent in this beautifully rendered but optimistically titled postcard showing a “typical residence” in Portland circa 1909. Roxanne is trying to find the present (but probably past) location of this home. Some websites place this on the Corbett property at SW Park and Main Street but we’ve seen both homes on that block, neither of which match this home. Does anyone have any correct information on this location? Thanks for sending this, Roxanne.

(Roxanne Cummings)

SW Broadway, 1950s

Thanks to VP fan Ryan for sending this super color postcard showing a rainy night on SW Broadway in the 1950s. This view is south from Washington Street and while the signage has changed drastically, the buildings on the west side are all pretty much intact today.

(Ryan)

SW 6th Avenue, c1960

This bright, full-color postcard looks north on SW 6th Avenue with SW Taylor as the cross street. A lack of sidewalk-planted trees gives a clear view well past Burnside. Thanks to VP fan Ryan for sending this in.

(Ryan)

Union Depot, 1905

Some things change very little over the years. Union Depot, now Union Station, looks today much the same as it did in this 1905 photo. The biggest difference is that the people seen here would now be standing under a pedestrian bridge over the tracks.

(City of Portland Archives)

Lents, 1910

Portland’s Lents neighborhood was originally the town of Lent, platted in 1892. Hard to say exactly where this site is today, but the original town was bounded by SE Foster Rd. and Duke Street between SE 92nd and 97th Avenues.

(City of Portland Archives)

Portland Panorama, c1880

In a discussion of Marquam Hill/Robinson’s Hill last week, Edmund linked to this terrific stereoscope image which begged its own feature. The view looks north up present-day SW 10th Avenue circa 1880, pre-dating the Old Church which would be directly ahead. I believe the vantage point of this image is the top of the steep slope at the end of 10th, just south of Clifton Street. Interestingly, there is an old brick reservoir gate house there still, and the construction we see here at extreme bottom left may be part of that reservoir.

(New York Public Library)

Portland Panorama, 1909

This is a very nice early photo of Portland’s Corbett/Lair Hill neighborhood with the Willamette River, Northeast Portland and Mt. St. Helens forming a backdrop. I believe the large house (actually a duplex) just beyond the mostly-empty block with the small house at lower right is still in existence, one lot north of the corner of Water Ave. and Whitaker St. The big building at center left is probably the original Failing School.

(City of Portland Archives)