1200 Block Willamette St. Circa 1914

Here is a view looking north on Willamette toward the intersection of West 11th. The large church on the right side of the street is the Episcopal Methodist Church of 1914. The site had been a parking lot for many years. The lot just to the right is where the old Lyon's Furniture building now stands which has housed the Oregon Antique Mall for over 25 years. This photo offers a slightly better view of the old Victorian house mentioned in Tuesdays post that was later remolded into retail space and recently housed Puttin on the Ritz vintage clothing.

11th Avenue and Willamette St. circa 1915

This is an interesting view looking southwest of the intersection of 11th and Willamette streets. Probably taken from the tower of the old First Christian Church it shows from the right the old St. Mary's Catholic Church, next on Willamette is the old Carnegie Library and then the 1912 Episcopal Methodist Church with the then "new" First Christian Church behind it. The tower of Eugene City Hall is on the far left of the photo. The dark outline of a structure between the Library and the Methodist Church is an old Victorian house which was later enlarged toward Willamette and turned into retail space and apartments. It for many years housed a series of Antiques store and most recently housed Puttin on the Ritz, a vintage clothing shop. The building is most certainly a total loss after a major fire June 18th.

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.

The Houses of Clement Hodes

The top photo shows the first home of Clement Hodes which stood at the southeast corner of 8th and Lawrence. The house was an early structure, built in the Greek revival style, resembling the Christian House on east 12th. Clement Hodes owned a Saloon and Billard Parlor on Willamette St. It must have been a successful business as circa 1890 the original house was moved (location unknown) and this fine two story Italianate took its place. It appears the house stood until about 1930 when it was replaced with the apartment house that still stand on the site.

1892 Jail and 1898 Court House

This view looking East down 8th Avenue at about Park Street shows the 1892 Lane County Jail and across Oak the grand Court House of 1898. Both structures where razed 1958-1959 for the current bland and dated mid-century structure that now stands at this site.

The Smeede Hotel

The Smeede Hotel is one of the oldest surviving hotel structures left in Lane county. It is representative of early Italianate commercial architecture. The original structure, built in 1885, was three stories high with 52 feet of frontage on Willamette Street and 65 feet of depth. It was later extended 49 feet to the east. In 1892 the brick facade was stuccoed and cast iron trim was added. The vaulted sheet metal canopy was added in the early 1900's (after this photo was taken) about the time the Smeede family took over the Hotel. The Hotel's original name is still imbedded in bronze in the front sidewalk. the original interior was gutted about 1973 just prior to the structure being put on the National Register of Historic Places on January 17, 1973.

Downtown from Skinners Butte circa 1890

This great shot shows plainly just how enormous the Underwood House on Willamette Street was. As noted in an earlier post the house stood for many years on the east side of Willamette near the middle of the block across from the current downtown post office. Note the large main block of the house fronting Willamette and then the service wing behind which connected to the carriage house in the back. Connected barns and carriages houses were usually features in New England homes where in-climate weather made getting to out buildings treacherous in the winter months.

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.

Hovey Block at 8th and Willamette 1890

This fabulous commercial building was built in 1888 by Albert Hovey on the N.E. corner of 8th and Willamette and was known as the Hovey Block. For many years it housed a Bank on the ground floor and offices of attorney's George Skipworth, Charles Wintermier and George Doris. Other tenants were Isaac Bingham Land Company and J.A. Mauwer Jewelers. The building was razed about 1920 after only standing 30 years. A very ugly parking structure has stood on this spot for the last 30 years. There certainly were a lot more people downtown 120 years ago than there are today.....

Old Eugene City Hall

Here is a view of the Old Eugene High School of 1906 which stood on the south west corner of 11th and Willamette Streets. (See the first post in this blog) In 1915 the building was turned into the Eugene City Hall with the addition of a large wing to the rear and an entrance portico on the front facing Willamette Street. The building continued to house the city offices until the construction of the current City Hall in 1964. The building was razed soon after and replaced with the current bank building that has occupied the site ever since. At the far left of the photo can be seen part of the old Eugene Hospital and Clinic which is now the Peace Health Willamette Street complex..