Building Demolition, c1930 – Help Us Out!

The City of Portland Archives provided this photo enlisting your help in finding the identity and location of this building. The photo comes from the Portland Fire Bureau and is dated circa 1930. It’s a fine example of Portland’s early inventory of cast-iron architecture that obviously didn’t survive. This is a tough one as there is very little to go on and this does not appear to be one of the better known cast-iron buildings. I have my own theory, let’s see what you come up with. Enjoy and good luck!

Found: Zeta Psi Building, NW Front Ave. & Davis St.

(City of Portland Archives)

Vernon Standpipe, 1920

Eagle-eyed VP fan Carter was looking at last week’s 1914 look down SW Broadway and had this comment, “What is that tall white tower off in the distant northeast? Is that in Irvington or is it farther off? Or is that a mark on the film?”

It turns out that the white tower is actually the Vernon Standpipe, or water tank. It was on the site of the present-day Vernon Tank Playground at NE Prescott and 20th Ave. The tank was moved around the time of this photo to St. Johns and can currently be seen at N. Willamette Blvd. and Oswego Ave.

(City of Portland Archives)