John Cyrus Watkins House

Though not a large house, the Watkins house which stood on the Northeast corner of 5th and Charnelton, across the street from the Harris House, had excellent proportions and composition. Basically a carpenter Gothic style house it had a very vertical look with its very tall first floor ceilings, its steeply pitched roof and dormers and nicely detailed front porch. Watkins, who built the house circa 1880, was co-owner of the Fisher and Watkins Meat Market on Willamette Street near 7th Avenue. The house stood relatively intact (minus the original porch) until 1961. The site is now the location of the western most part of the Lane County Jail complex.

The Second T.W. Harris Home

The following photos are of the Northwest corner of 5th and Charnelton taken over a 75 year span. It is unclear if the former residence of the Harris family mentioned in yesterdays post was moved from this site or originally next door to the west. In the last photo, taken after this house was torn down, and construction of it`s replacement had started, a section of a Victorian house can be seen at the far left which might be the original home. I also speculated in yesterdays post that this earlier house might actually be the old house still standing on the Northeast corner of 5th and Lawrence street. The first photo shows the house soon after is construction with little landscaping and a patchy lawn which was common at the time. The later photo taken a few years after the first, shows the addition of many plantings and a beautifully manicured lawn which many houses at this time did not maintain. Notice in the earliest photo, to the left of the house was a water tower. This would have facilitated easy irrigation of the property. Also of note are two wonderful pergola's or garden follies on each side of the house. Similar trellis's can be seen in early photos of other Eugene homes. This house seems to have stood until the mid 1950's when it was razed for the Tillman-Booth building which still stand on the site.

Dr. T.W. Harris House

This one story Italianate home at was once 253 West 5th Avenue, was the first Eugene home of Dr. and Mrs T.W. Harris. After their marriage Dr. and Mrs Harris first settled in Albany were their son Lawrence was born. They later moved to Eugene were Dr. Harris set up his medical practice and also served as Mayor. Lawrence became a county Judge for many years. Laura Harris, who was one of Eugene's most prominent society matrons passed away at age 96. The Harris house may be the house that still stands on the N.E. corner of 5th and Lawrence street, (minus its front bay window and with the porch greatly altered) as the records are sketchy as if the house was moved or torn down. There are many similarities between the two structures and it may be a forgotten survivor.

The Darwin Bristow Home

Just north on Lawrence from the Johnson house, at 414 Lawrence (southwest corner) stood the large home of Darwin Bristow. This fine Italianate house was built circa 1890 by a Mr. Palmer of whom little is known. The second owner was D.H. Chapman who was the second President of the University of Oregon. The house was then owned by Phoebe Skinner Kinsey, daughter of Eugene Skinner, Founder of Eugene. Mrs. Kinsey later sold the home to the Bristow family who lived there until 1964. Darwin Bristow was a Grandson of Elijah and Susannah Gabbert Bristow who built the first house in Lane County. Typical of Italianate homes of this era the house had a low hipped roof, supported by a heavily bracketed cornice and a wrap around porch with turned posts. The interior was comprised of a Parlor, Library, Dining room, kitchen, Pantry and a large entrance hall with a beautiful curved staircase which lead to four large bedrooms upstairs. There is now a large cinder block warehouse building on the site.

The Johnson-Wilkins House

Directly across 5th Avenue from the Geary house, at 482 Lawrence Street, stood the Dr. J.W. Johnson house. Dr Johnson was the first President of the University of Oregon and had the house constructed in 1883. It was said the Dr. Johnson examined every board and timber that went into the building to insure a sound structure. The house had 13 foot ceilings downstairs which comprised two parlors, a dining room, kitchen,pantry and Library. Upstairs were four bedrooms and a large bath. In 1906 the house was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Amos Wilkins. Mr. Wilkins was the son of early Lane County Pioneers and brother of Eugene Mayor, F.M. Wilkins. Mrs. Wilkins always claimed her husband bought the property because of the fine barn that stood behind the house, which included stalls for several horses, carriage storage and electric lights! Mrs. Wilkins stayed in the house until she was nearly 100 years old. Soon after her passing in the early 1960's the house was dismantled and replaced with an auto repair shop which still occupies the site. The only thing that remains from this fine old Italianate home is one of the large old shade trees on the Lawrence Street side of the property.

The Rev. Dr. Edward Geary Home

We are going to move away from the East 11th Avenue neighborhood back to West 5th Avenue and some of Eugene's older homes. The Rev. Dr. Edward Geary was Oregon's first Superintendent of Indian Affairs and later founded and was President Albany Collage in Eugene before becoming Pastor of Eugene's Presbyterian Church. The Geary house, built at 516 Lawrence (southwest corner of 5th and Lawrence) was one of the larger homes built in Eugene at that time (1878) and was in the then very fashionable Italianate style. Although large tree's and shrubs partially obscure the house in all the surviving photos it is evident that the Geary house was a particularly well designed and constructed home. A full two stories with staggered quoins to simulate masonary construction, a large entrance porch with second story balcony above. The house also had a nicely proportioned bay window that adorned the right block of the house, which probably contained the parlor. All this was topped by a bracketed cornice and low hipped roof. This exceptional house stood intact until 1960 when it was demolished for a string of cinder block retail shops which still stand on the site.

W.W. Calkins House, A Real Survivor

The W.W. Calkins house at 588 East 11th (Southwest corner of 11th and Patterson) is a survivor of the highest merit. Built in 1902 in the Queen Anne style the house was never remodeled or hacked into student housing. It still retains all its exterior decoration and its beautiful oak interiors. It has been office space for many years but always respected by its tenants. Mr. Calkins was originally from Minnesota and came to Eugene to run the Merchants Bank, which later became U.S. Bank. He was also a prominent Eugene attorney and served in both the Oregon House and Senate.

Dr. Patterson's "Animal House".

We can't leave the East 11th Avenue area with out touching on the two Patterson houses that stood at 751 E. 11th. The first house, built in 1863 was a simple, "L" shaped side gabled Gothic, with little ornamentation, other than two classically styled porches. The house was used at times as an early hospital by Dr. Patterson, who was not only an early Eugene physician but a school teacher, text book author and the surveyor of the original Eugene town site. Dr. Patterson died in 1904 at age 90. Around 1910 the old home was cut in two and moved by horses on log skids (at one point across the Millrace) to Agate St. After the lot was cleared construction was started on a larger more modern home for the widow Patterson and her unmarried daughter. The house in the Colonial revival style, was 2 1/2 stories with a large wrap around front porch, with an additional second floor covered porch over the front entrance. The third floor gable was lighted by a large Palladian window. The house remained in the Patterson family until 1956 when Dr. Patterson's daughter Harriet died. It was sold and became a fraternity house and later student housing. The houses lasting infamy came in 1978 when it was used in the movie Animal House. Developers later purchased the property and razed the house in 1985 to build a small medical complex.

An Other Survivor On East 11th Avenue But Not so Pretty.

This large Prairie Style house was built about 1912 at 437 E. 11th for the Joseph Koke family who had previously lived in a Colonial Revival Style house at 1116 Hilyard Street. Joseph Koke was President of the Koke-Yoran Printing Company. The Koke house while still standing is not a successful survivor like its neighbor, the Heckart House. The porch has been enclosed, the siding changed and windows filled in, along with an large entrance addition to the front. Ironically, an Architecture firm has its offices in the severely maimed building now.

A Rare Survivor on East 11th Avenue, The William Heckart House.

William O. Heckart, a building contractor, built this Craftsman Style house for himself circa 1908, at 365 E. 11th, but after living there only a short time purchased property at 1024 Mill St. and took up residence there in 1909. While the interior has been converted into apartments for many years, the exterior of the Heckart house is remarkably intact. Too bad the the grounds have been left to weeds.

Frank Dunn House, 11th and Patterson

The Dunn house stood on the northwest corner of 11th and Patterson from about 1910 until it was torn down in 1963 to make way for the Patterson apartments. It was a well designed Colonial Revival with 2 1/2-stories, columned verandas, 2nd floor balcony with oval window, and a Palladian window in the gable. Frank Dunn was a Eugene merchant having taken over the business of his Father, F.B. Dunn, an early settler in Eugene, Merchant and one time Mayor.

Happy 153rd Birthday State of Oregon!

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

Homes of John and Cornelia Straub

The house in the top photo was from 1885 to 1899 the John and Cornelia Straub home. When Straub first arrived in Eugene in 1878 to teach at the University he took up residence with his new family in a Gothic style farm house on 9th Ave., later moving to this Eastlake gem which stood on the northwest corner of 11th and Hilyard. In 1899 the Straub's moved to a similar house which stood just west of their long time home (second photo) and lived there while a new home (third photo) was constructed on the site of their earlier house. The last photo shows both of the earlier Straub houses with the Frank J. Hard house from last Fridays post in the distance. Nothing in these photos remains today, the block is Medical offices, college apartments and parking lots.

Leonard Livermore House

Since we have crept back to East 11th Ave., with the post on the Frank J. Hard house. I will post a few photos of the Leonard Livermore house that once stood at 487 E. 11th Ave., which was the N.W. corner of 11th and Ferry. The Livermore house was built circa 1885 in the Queen Anne style and remained in remarkably good repair until it was razed in the late 1950's. The University Arms Apartments were built just east of the house, with a small office building and new entrance to the apartments taking the houses place.

Frank J. Hard House

Moving south on Patterson from the Luckey and Campbell houses, on the east side of the street was the huge Queen Anne style Fank J. Hard Home. Records show that the house was moved sometime prior to 1914 to 613 E. 11th Ave., where it stood until circa 1960 when it was replaced with a very nondescript apartment complex. This was a particularly well designed and attractive Victorian house, with its three story tower, wrap around porch which conformed to the curve of the tower and the charming second floor covered balcony, which was unfortunately removed after the house was moved.

William Campbell House

This unusual Victorian pile stood right across Patterson on Broadway from the Luckey House. The first photo seems to show the house just as it was being finished in 1888. The house stood until the early 1950's when it was torn down for yet an other service station. The corner has been the site of the Mission Mexican Restaurant for years.

Luckey House S.W. corner Broadway and Patterson

Moving three blocks east on Broadway from the Walton property, was this beautiful Italianate house built in 1885 for the Eugene P. Luckey family. The house stood on the southwest corner of Broadway and Patterson until 1949 when it was razed for a service station. The site has been a 7 Eleven since the late 1960's.

J.J. Walton Jr. House

Originally built in the center of a 4 acre Estate in 1868, the Walton house was later moved to a different part of the property prior to 1900, when the street grid was changed. At the time the house was moved, a porch was removed from the left wing and a two level bay window put in its place. The entire house was set on a high foundation, with additional service wings on the rear. The second photo (shown in reverse from how the house actually stands) shows the water tower and other outbuilding which once stood on the property. The house was occupied by Judge Walton's youngest daughter until her passing in 1963, at which time it became a restaurant, which it remains.

J.J. Walton Sr. House

Mid block going north on Pearl from the Hales home (See Fridays post) was the J.J. Walton Sr. House. The first section of this house, a center gable gothic, was built in 1858, with a wing added at each end in later years. The Walton family owned the first piano in Eugene, a beautiful grand that can be seen at the Lane County Pioneer Museum. In the flood of 1863 the piano was saved by lifting it up on three chairs. Many years later the piano was given to Mrs. William Preston who lived on the southwest corner of 5th and Pear, just 1/2 block from the Walton home. Mr. Walton's son, J.J. junior was an attorney and later Lane County Judge, who built a fine home at 433 West Broadway which still stands and houses the Bates Steakhouse after being the home of Moreno's Mexican restaurant for many years.

Hales Residence

The former Charles H. and Franc O. Hales residence, once stood at 187 East 6th Avenue on the northwest corner of 6th Avenue and Pearl Street. This one story house was possibly a much older dwelling that had been updated with Eastlake details such as the bay window and scalloped trim on gable. A very fine stone retaining wall bordered the sidewalk, in foreground, which seemed rather elaborate for such a simple structure. Hales was a co-owner of Preston & Hales Paints, Oils and Harness Shop, 857 Willamette Street. William Preston lived a block north on the Southwest corner of 5th and Pearl. The site of the Hales house has been a parking lot for many years.

Millard Griggs House, East 11th Avenue.

The Millard Griggs house at 234 E. 11th Ave.,was built at approximately the same time as the Shelley house which stood next door. The Griggs house and possibly the Shelley house were built by Archie Terrell a prolific local builder. Millard Griggs was the owner of the Griggs Hotel on the N.W. corner of 5th and Willamette St. Today known as the Lane Building. Sometime after the house was built a porte cochere was added to the east side of the porch making it easier to access the porch from an automobile. In later years the house was owned by James and Helena Gilbert who ran a boarding house there. The last photo taken circa 1915 shows what a beautiful residential street this section of 11th Avenue used to be.

J.M. Shelley House Circa 1910

James M. Shelley was the owner of the Eugene Mill and Elevator Company (grain milling and storage) and in 1907 started construction of this beautiful Craftsman style home at was then 214 E. 11th Ave. (S.E. corner of E 11th and Pearl). I have no information as to when this fantastic house was torn down but a very plain, mid-century office building has stood on the site since at least the early 1960's. The house just east of the Shelley house was the home of Millard F. Griggs. I will post photos of the Griggs home tomorrow.