The Natural Sanatorium located near SE 60th Avenue and SE Belmont Street, circa 1916. This photo was originally posted back in March 2016.
Throwback!
Vintage Portland
The Natural Sanatorium located near SE 60th Avenue and SE Belmont Street, circa 1916. This photo was originally posted back in March 2016.
Vintage Portland 
Wow! What a wonderful “Throwback!” Be sure to click on the first “related” item where there are lots of comments, including one from the great-granddaughter of the proprietors.
Now let’s see if any of us can add to what we found out in 2016!
Nice photo of the pretty building, surrounds, clientele and staff.
Most of the comments from 2016 focus on the exact location of this house and the address 178 E. Sixtieth appears to be correct, to nail down the exact location I located the building permit from the Oregonian on October 12, 1916.
Dr O, Onne Jurva — Repair two story frame sanitarium, 170 (likely 178) East Sixtieth street, between Yamhill and Taylor streets. Henry Heuer, 2 East Eleventh street North, builder $75.
The building looks to have been torn down in 1928 for the brick building at the corner of SE 60th & Yamhill. Oregonian March 11, 1928 (excerpt) — Razing of old Mansfield residence at the southeast corner of East Sixtieth and Yamhill streets is expected to be started this week to make way for the new nurses home.
Mansfield may have been the name of the original owner, but I did locate a story in the Oregonian on August 28, 1910 that Simon Benson bought the Mansfield house.
S. Benson, the millionaire timberman is apparently about to join the colony of timberman on Mount Tabor. Adams & Apperson announce the sale to him of two lots on West Avenue (East Sixtieth street) which were owned by Mrs. H Mansfield. The price is given as $10,000. The property lies about two blocks south of Belmont street and consist of 154 by 100 feet of land an old frame house. Mr Benson has not yet announced whether he will build there for himself or will hold the property. The old house is in such condition that it will have to be torn down soon. The lots face the west and from them a beautiful view of all Portland can be obtained.
I have a fabulous color lithographic image of this house from the 1892 Mt Tabor Views Souvenir promo booklet, but don’t know how to post the image here…
Using Dennis’ superb research as a basis, I found some more information about the Mansfield residence and the sanatorium in the old issues of the Oregonian. (All capitalization is original to what I read.)
In 1899 (Sept. 24) there was a notice of an auction of “the contents of that large family residence, MANSFIELD HOUSE, corner of Belmont and West avenues.” There followed a huge list of items from furniture to “a valuable collection of standard and rare books. Among them are DANTE’S PURGATORY, PARADISE, INFERNO, DORE’S ART GALLERY….” and then more furniture – mahogany, oak, etc. Also included were “COMBINATION GAS AND ELECTRIC CHANDELIERS all through the house.” “Terms cash. Take Mount Tabor cars to West ave. J.T. WILSON, Auctioneer”
Four years later, “The girls of the Omega Nu Sorority gave an informal and very delightful dance last night at the Mansfield house on West avenue, Mount Tabor. About 75 young people were in attendance, chaperoned by Mrs. Charles L. Mastick, Mrs. Mansfield and Mrs. Oberteuffer.” A description of the decor followed. 3/15/1903
It seems that the establishment of the sanatorium was opposed by the neighbors. Two long articles about that were published in 1910, one on July 2, and one on July 5. In the first, “Mount Tabor are opposed to the establishment of an outdoor hospital for tuberculosis patients in their midst…. It was reported at [a meeting] that the Mansfield house with about two acres of land has been leased by George W. Turner and Drs. Ray and Ralph Matson for a tuberculosis sanitarium at the entrance of the new William Park at Mount Tabor…. The lease has already been executed for two years. P.P. Dabney made a vigorous protest against the establishment…declaring it would be a menace to [their] health.” .
The second article is titled “LESSEE REFUSES MT. TABOR REQUEST: George W. Turner All Ready to Open Tuberculosis Camp, He Says.” RESIDENTS PROMISE WAR.” The article reports that Turner denies that the patients would be a menace to the health of the community and that the patients would be kept within the enclosure, which he said had ample grounds. He admitted he had not had much experience in handling tubercular cases, but insisted that his staff would be competent.
This article explains that the Mansfield House was a two-story building just south of the Mount Tabor Sanitarium conducted by the Seventh Day Adventists. The final paragraphs are headed “Mt. Taborites Still Worked Up” and that the people of Mount Tabor will leave no stone unturned to prevent its establishment.
Fascinating research. I’m now convinced NE 60th and Belmont is another minor but mystical Portland history vortex! Liz is right about the first related photo and info within. The other two photos are very recent including the previous post Mar22 and two weeks ago Mar13. Seaton’s, the Sanatorium, Simon Benson, scenes from Drugstore Cowboy by Gus Van Sant…
But, can anyone tell me why the road is called Belmont? I’ve tried to figure it out and can’t. Would love some help.
@VP I think reposting old images is an excellent idea, starting with the “best” ones chosen from the earliest years of VintagePortland and on through the collection, so that we can read and add comments on them again, because many of them have very few comments and the readership today is so much larger and research more thorough…it’s fun to go back through the old VP posts on my own, but it’s much better when we are all focussed on one daily photo together, so we can create the conversation, discussion, nostalgia or collaborative research effort. To me, that’s the most valuable thing about VP, and what most of us enjoy most.
(And, assuming it’s much easier to repost, maybe we could get a reposted photo 8am every day again? With the occasional new one. Easier, better.)
Liz the house in this photo was definitely located at 178 E 60th. The 1910 US Census shows that Harriet J Mansfield was living at this address with three of her eight children (Daisy, Dolce or Dalce & Chester.) Harriet was the widow of Thomas Mansfield who was a fruit grower who died in early 1889 and appears to have owned land on Mt. Tabor. Several months after the death of Thomas Mansfield building lots were being sold at “Mansfield”
Oregonian January 1, 1890 ( excerpt) One of Portland’s most beautiful suburbs, “Mansfield” for sale, and a great many are buying there. Mansfield is situated on the east slope of Mount Tabor.
In 1912 Dr. O. Onne Jurva the man who operated the sanitarium in this photo registered to vote in Multnomah county at 178 E 60th with the location of this address being Yamhill & Taylor streets.
Great amplifications, Thorn and Dennis! Now I want to see Bo’s picture. Can anyone help with that?