This dapper gentleman struck a pose with his car in the Northwest industrial area of Portland in 1928. Although labeled as “NW 14th & Lovejoy,” this location could be open to debate. Is that a salesman’s sample case on the ground?
(City of Portland Archives)
Vintage Portland 
The car is in bad condition. Surly he’s not showing it off with pride. I can’t make out the make.
I think he’s the number man.
I too think it’s ” The Numbers Man ” !!! He probably has his numbering board and characters in the valise/case . Sure looks like the old OWR&N freight depot behind him or maybe the Oregon Electric line’s depot.
Yeah, I agree. I don’t think it’s 14th and Lovejoy. It does look like it was taken near a rail yard though. It might be further east in Northwest or even further North at the Guild’s Lake rail yard.
That said, I expect that someone else will post a link to a picture from 1980 showing that exact loading bay…at 14th and Lovejoy.
Bud, great point. If you look at the cars at the depot, it appears the one on the left is a passenger car, leaving the one on the right as a possible baggage car. The web of overhead wires beyond the depot give credence to your Oregon Electric supposition. Maybe numbers guy has finished his assignment and is heading home to Oregon City.
Location is likely correct. With these city of Portland photos if a location is given it’s almost always right.
the train behind his car appears to have a headlight on the front car, so perhaps it is an interburban consist?
I wonder if this isn’t the Oregon Electric Depot at 10th and Hoyt?
Jim: I think you’re right. Utility poles the same, crossbeams identical… man, you’re good! 🙂
The car is an early 20’s Gray. They stopped making them in1924. This is an odd one as far as cars go because it has solid framed doors like a sedan, but a convertible top. And yes the car is in poor condition, the front tires are bald.
@ Jim: I think you may be right as well. Before I saw your post and for completely different reasons (I didn’t know there was an OE depot there) I was going to suggest that this was 10th street looking north towards Lovejoy. 10th ended at Lovejoy which is consistent with white fence in the distance. Between Hoyt and Lovejoy there were no cross streets to the west as that entire length between 10th and 11th was a rail yard. From the picture you linked to this photo would be consistent with just seeing the far north part of the depot which would be probably two blocks or so north of Hoyt and another two blocks of so south of Lovejoy.
Most of this I surmised from the 1924 industrial map and aerial photos taken shortly after the 10th and Lovejoy ramps were built. There you can see the distant water tower in the right location as well.
Also from the map you can see that the rail left 10th proper (center-line right-of-way) at Hoyt and ran along side it (in the block between 10th and 11th) from that point north. This is also consistent with the photo that shows no tracks in the actual street. I can’t find anywhere on 14th what would have had rail in the adjoining block like that. In fact from the 1924 map, the nearest rail to 14th were the center line rails on 13th and 15th. which wouldn’t really be visible from 14th.
Anyway, that’s a long way of saying I think Jim has it right.
Thanks folks, but I was just taking Bud Holland’s suggestion and running with (aka Googling) it. Bud deserves the lion’s share of the credit.
Here is a link to a Gray restored. http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2010/08/24/hemmings-find-of-the-day-1925-gray/. I have found conflicting dates as to when they ceased production
Good job folks! For context I just wanted to add in the idea that even though this is the Oregon Electric Depot, this is a northern extension of the same North Bank Depot buildings that straddle 11th between Hoyt and Irving, previously featured here:
https://vintageportland.wordpress.com/2012/09/06/north-bank-freight-depot-1917/
And after 1910, Oregon Electric was owned by the SP&S:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Bank_Depot_Buildings#Period_of_active_use
Here’s the approximate view today, along with a current view that shows how the old Oregon Electric depot sat in relation to the still extant North Bank depot buildings. The new brick building on the near corner sits on the site of the old OE depot.
The car looks to be a Packard. Probably about 4 – 5 years old. Clearly needs a wash and wax!
It is definitely not a Packard. Either read my previous posts or go here and scroll down about halfway http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/20scars.html Look at the radiator badges, it will show definitely it is a Gray as the radiator badges and the raised or embossed areas of the fenders match perfectly.
I agree that this is almost certainly an extension of the North Bank Depot at NW 10th and Hoyt. The cars in the background would likely be Oregon Electric or United Railways interurbans. And, note the overhead trolley wires.