Electric Streetcar 1910

Portland, Eugene and Eastern streetcar for the Fairmount Street run, parked at the beginning of the line near the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot on the north end of Willamette Street. This is just prior to the construction of the Oregon Electric Station on the N.E. corner of this intersection. Two crew members pose in foreground. The tower of Shelton-McMurphey residence on a now forested Skinners Butte can be seen in background. The small cast concrete building on the right still stands, though enlarged with a second floor and rear extension it now houses the Jackalope Lounge after being a Chinese Restaurant for many years.

Shelton-McMurphy-Johnson House, circa 1895

In a previous post I mentioned the old University of Oregon Observatory that once stood on top of Skinners Butte. This photo of the Shelton-McMurphy-Johnson house from about 1895 shows the observatory perched on the east side of the hill top. Western Oregon with so many cloudy nights was not a good place for an astronomy class so after only a few years, use by the University was discontinued. It was soon thought of as a liability and was finally dynamited early one Sunday morning in 1905. I should note that the staircase seen in this photo leading from the front of the house down to the lower terrace is currently being restored by the City of Eugene. Unlike the original staircase which was off set to the west the new stairs will lead straight down from the original front steps to the porch and extend all the way to the street. Hopefully they will accommodate the remaining grade for the old carriage drive that once passed along the front of the property.

Early Aerial View of Skinners Butte and Downtown Eugene

This circa 1915 aerial view shows a very tree-less and unfamiliar view of Skinners Butte. It is hard to realize that the Butte was bare up until about 100 years ago. On the south side can be seen the Eugene "E" and the University of Oregon "O". Also visible atop the Butte are the remnants of the old University of Oregon observatory which was demolished in 1902 (some of the foundation still exists to the east of the parking area). To the east is the resevior which has not yet been covered. On the lower flank of the Butte is the familiar Shelton McMurphy house with its now mature landscaping already surprisingly well established (notice the grounds extended to the east where the Yapooha Terrace now stands). The family had an unfortunate view of a string of warehouse situated just north of the tracks. The park like grounds surrounding the Southern Pacific Depot were still intact when this shot was taken.

Ever Popular Shot of Eugene from Skinners Butte circa 1910

This view was taken pre 1914 as the Oregon Electric Station building has not yet been built. Some surviving structures are the Shelton-McMurphy-Johnson house in the lower left, the Palace Hotel building, the Southern Pacific Depot and the brick retail building on the S.E. corner of 5th and Willamette. The old Post office stands in the shadow of the Palace Hotel thus out of view in this image.