Monday, April 9, 2012

Mystery House


Does anyone recognize the house on the left? It still stands, though the first floor is greatly altered, along with the grounds. The location will be reveled tomorrow!

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Friday, April 6, 2012

Alexander and Margaret Mathews House


Like the J.J. Walton Sr. house on High street, I believe the one story wing to the left on the Mathews house was probably the first phase of the structure and that the large and more elaborate block to the right was added later along with the front porch. I have no information on the Mathews or when the house, which stood on the southwest corner of 4th and Jefferson was torn down. By the simple style of the one story portion I would guess it from about 1860 and the larger wing with the bracketed eve and polygonal bay window to about 1880. The site has been an apartment complex since the early 7o's.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

The Chrisman Block, Broadway and Willamette



Gabriel Chrisman built this commercial block in 1891 on the southwest corner of Broadway and Willamette streets. It housed Mr. Chrisman's law office and Morris Music House among other business's. This gorgeous building only lasted until 1913 when it was demolished to clear the site for the McMorran and Washburne Department Store. The building was later enlarged to house J.C. Penny, until Penny's moved to the New Valley River Mall in 1969. The building was later renamed the Centre Court building and housed mostly office space until it was deemed unsafe in the late 1990's. The building remained empty until its recent restoration.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

The Gabriel Chrisman House




This large and imposing Italianate was built circa 1880 by Gabriel Chrisman, an attorney, Eugene Mayor and County Judge. The house in its original state (top two photos) was among if not my favorite early Eugene dwelling. A very large house for Eugene standards, composing about 12 rooms and much resembling the Hovey House in over all layout, the Chrissman house had more elaborate window trim and two polygonal bay windows. Sometime around 1905 the Chrisman's updated the pure Italianate structure into a more fashionable Colonial Revival (some would argue not very successfully), with a large wrap around porch and two covered second floor porches all with colonial columns. Just the exact time the house, which stood on the southwest corner of 10th and Charnelton was razed it not sure, but it probably came down soon after St.Mary's Catholic Church was constructed as its original site is now a parking lot for the church.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

The Cherry Tree, 6th and Charnelton, circa 1900


This shot, looking west at the intersection of 6th and Charnelton shows a massive Cherry tree reported at the time the photo was taken to have been 50 years old. It also illustrates how beautiful early Eugene really was. Nothing in this photo survives today. The near corner is now the site of Caddis Fly Shop, and the far corner once a Muffler and Brake shop is now a fast food stand called The Hunger Station. Alas, that magnificent cherry tree would now be sitting in the far left lane of traffic on 6th Street.

Monday, April 2, 2012

The Cherry House, 740 High Street



I can find no information on this little cottage that once belonged to the Cherry family and stood at 740 High St., today the site of the east entrance to City Hall. The house was probably constructed about 1870 as the porch supports strongly resemble those of the Peters and Dunn houses that were built in the late 1860's. While the exterior was a little on the plain side the interior made up for it with typical Victorian exuberance. The walls and curtains have been decorated with pine bows and leaves for some unknown celebration. All in all it's a very pleasant room.