The location of this 1935 photo had me stumped for a while; I just couldn’t place it anywhere in Portland. However, it was and still is in Portland; many of the buildings remain to this day. Good luck!
(City of Portland Archives)
Monthly Archives: March 2010
Flood Waters, 1948
An earlier Vintage Portland posting showed a very similar view to this one, but focused on the northwest industrial area of town. This view shows more of the east side of the river. In this pre-Memorial Coliseum time, N. Interstate Avenue flowed uninterrupted from center-right across to upper-left, skirting some well established residential neighborhoods, all gone now. N. Williams Ave. and N. Vancouver Ave. are visible in the far upper-right corner. Also note Union Station at lower-left.
(City of Portland Archives)
SW 4th & Ankeny, 1928
Just a short block to the south of this earlier post of West Burnside at 4th Ave. is this scene at SW 4th and Ankeny, also from 1928. This view is to the northeast and the Hirsch-Weis building is again visible to give you a reference point. This Union Gasoline station corner is a fantastic little glimpse of a long-gone Portland. Note the great flapper girl on the Felix Block jewelry sign gracing the wood-framed house.
(City of Portland Archives)
Paving Map of Portland – January 1, 1894
This is a beautifully rendered map of Portland by City Surveyor T.M. Hurlburt. It includes color coded references to the composition of many Portland streets. River depths and ferry crossings are also noted.
The “Portland Speed Association Race Tract” off of Union Avenue and Russell Street appears to be for a bicycling club, according to the meager internet references I was able to find. Was this ever built? Does anyone have any information about this track?
(City of Portland Archives)
B.L. Stone Building
The B.L. Stone building cost $23,000 to construct in 1883. It stood at the corner of SW 1st Avenue and Market Street, where the Mercedes-Benz dealership is now. Hawkins’ “The Grand Era of Cast-Iron Architecture in Portland” states it was demolished in 1968 by the Portland Development Commission but I suspect it was earlier than that, as two 1964 aerial photos on this site show the building already gone. This photo dates to 1953.
Communist Gathering, 1935
Since I’m in the neighborhood, from the police historical archive is this photo of a “Red Squad” Communist gathering at the D.P. Thompson Elk Fountain on SW Main Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues between Chapman and Lownsdale Squares.
A note on the back of the photo says, “Chief Niles – This photo was taken Wed, April 10, 1935. It shows the Communist gathering in the Plaza. I am keeping a photographic record of the “Red” activities in Portland and will gladly supply the “RED SQUAD” with copies on request. Paul Callicote.“
(City of Portland Archives)
Multnomah County Courthouse, 1907
This 1907 photo shows the original Multnomah County Courthouse on the block bordered by SW 4th and 5th Avenues, Main and Salmon Streets. This is the dome pictured in yesterday’s post. Instead of leveling the site and starting from scratch, apparently the new courthouse building was constructed in stages, around the old building. Maybe it was something like 1) build 1/3 of new building while still using old building, 2) move everything from old to new, 3) tear down old, and 4) finish construction of new.
This is the 4th Avenue elevation; the posts and chains in the foreground still surround Lownsdale Square.
Vintage Portland 
