The Kamm Estate once was located on the present-day Lincoln High School property, and the Jacob Kamm House, built in 1871, was at SW 14th and Main. To make way for Lincoln High construction, the house was moved to its present Goose Hollow site (SW 20th just off Jefferson) in 1950. It fell into decline but was restored in the 1980s. It can be see in its original Kamm Estate surroundings in this previous posting from 1894. The house to the right no longer exists.
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Vintage Portland 
Here’s a picture of the house in all its restored glory: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jacob_Kamm_House_-_front_-_Portland_Oregon.jpg .
In my opinion, it looks smaller now that it’s been removed from its original surroundings. I think it has to do with being on a smaller lot in a higher density area.
I’m happy they saved this one as well as the Ladd Carriage house and the Simon Benson house. I haven’t heard a recent update on the Morris Marks house though. My Google search shows it still exists, though it was slated for demolition at the end of 2010. Does anyone know the status on the attempt to relocate the Morris Marks house?
I believe that the other house in the photo (demolished), was the replica “Lincoln House,” constructed for the 1905 Lewis & Clark Exposition. Both houses were moved to this location (c.1950) by the late Eric Ladd – probably Portland’s first active historic preservationist. Ladd had a restaurant in the Kamm House for several years in the mid-late 50s and supposedly there was a burger joint in the Lincoln House for a short while until they had a fire.
One reason I believe the Kamm house looks smaller is that it originally sat on a much higher foundation. After it was moved it was placed on a more “squat” brick faced foundation thus making it look less imposing.
The house looks great now but I wish they would replace the missing window shutters! The windows were scaled to have working exterior shutters which it had until sometime in the 1960’s I think. Now there is too much wall showing.
I used to live near the Kamm house when it was an empty shell and after the renovation. I heard from others it was a restaurant. I knew about Eric Ladd and used to walk around the empty lot across from the Kamm house and discover remnants of the iron fascades he rescued from demolition. At one point behind the Lincoln House and Kamm house were wonderful niches that were used by us locals for taking art pictures. Also, in the empty lot at one time, Eric Ladd had a building on stilts that was an olden wooden church. I was told it was the original St. Mary’s in Portland. One time I found post cards of the Kamm House when it was a restaurant.
Thanks for finally writing about >Jacob Kamm House, 1959 | Vintage Portland <Loved it!
Kamm House, Lincoln replica house, church on stilts, the niches and the salvaged elements integrated into a new building underway on the Jefferson street frontage were all part of what Eric Ladd referred to as “The Colony”. So far ahead of his time that The City and the OLCC put up as many roadblocks it needed to prevent him from being successful. The last building he brought to the site was the St.Mary’s chapel that he parked at at the top of the street. One bright spot are were the fences he saved from the old Portland Hotel demoished for the parking lot. These were integrated into Pioneer Square in their original location on the 6th Ave frontage
Thank you so much folks for this information! It is nearly impossible to find anyrhing on The Colony in any Portland history. I have no memory of the Lincoln House ever being there as by the time I stumbled across this street it was already gone, but I do remember the church at the top of the street. Where was this structure moved from? And whatever happened to it!? And it seems if memory serves there was another structure below on Jefferson that was moved there as well-perhaps a cast iron building that looked like a shell of a building. I was a young child when it was there but I remember it suddenly was just gone one day when we drove on Jefferson back home to Beaverton. Does anyone have any info on this? GREAT POST’S and thank you all for such helpful information!