In this photograph of the Barde Dock, you see a crane used during the construction of the Front Avenue sewer (this project brought us the Harbor Wall). This image is looking north. Several businesses, including the Zidell-Steinberg Company, Butzer’s Seed Store, and W. P. Fuller & Company, are visible in the background.
Front Ave Sewer Barde Dock showing the crane used in the construction, May 17, 1927 : A1999-004.245
Downtown Portland routinely experienced high water and this photograph from 1894 captures the challenges and adventures of flooded streets. This image was taken on Front and Morrison St. and comes from the book, Portland: Its History and Builders, Volume 1, by Joseph Gaston.
Flood scene at Front and Morrison, 1894 : A2004-002.7772
This 1929 photo shows a row of magnificent cast-iron fronted buildings along the east side of SW Front Avenue at the foot of Vine Street. Vine no longer exists but is a part of Ankeny Plaza between Ankeny and Ash Streets. From the left, the buildings are Dodd Block (1888), Cooks’ Building (1882), Ankeny & Watson Building (1868), and Central Block (1879) on the corner at Ash Street. All were demolished in 1942.
(City of Portland Archives)
This rather Gothic industrial scene shows the Portland Gas Company complex in Northwest Portland in 1912. We’re facing southeast, with Front Avenue going off to the right and Flanders Street making its unimproved way to the Willamette River on the left. As rough as the Boss Saloon probably was, the little building seemed to have some nice architectural details. The 1894 Burnside Bridge can be seen in the background.
(City of Portland Archives)
This wonderful little brick building stood in the shadow of the Portland Gas Co. tank at the southwest corner of NW Front and Glisan Street in 1930. The 1908-09 Sanborn map labels it “Meter Rm. & Laboratory.”
(City of Portland Archives)
We saw the Zeta Psi building (background) being demolished in a previous post. Further plans were afoot another block north on NW Front Street and our Number Man was on the scene to document the southwest corner at Everett Street.
(City of Portland Archives)
Here’s a pretty aerial view of Southwest and Southeast Portland along the Willamette in 1963. The Marquam Bridge was still under construction and both banks of the river were generally much more industrialized than they are now. Lots of good detail to soak up in this beauty.
(City of Portland Archives)
