Salem, Oregon: PLACES by Robert D. West

Living in Salem, Oregon for two years, I amassed a lot of pictures of the city; so many that one page wasn't enough. This is Part 2, featuring Salem's historic downtown. The following links will jump to the other sections.

Part 1:

Historical Sites

Part 2:

Historic Downtown

I referred to many internet resources for this project, including the Oregon State Library Photograph Collection, the City of Salem, the Salem Historic Landmarks Commission, Salem Online History, the Salem Public Library's Oregon Historic Photograph Collections, Salem Historical Quarterly, the Salem Oregon Community Guide, the Salem Heritage Network, the Salem Historic Downtown Historic District Walking Tour by Virginia at Picasa Web Albums and Thomas Robinson's Historic Photo Archive. Other internet resources are linked throughout the pages. I also used a 1965-1966 copy of the Oregon Blue Book. Historical photographs and some graphics were photographed from interpretive displays at various locations in Salem. Most other graphics, including maps, are my own creations, though they may be based on maps from other sources.

Introduction

Salem's historic downtown area features buildings dating back as far as the 1860s. Most of downtown Salem's historic buildings are part of the Salem Downtown State Street-Commercial Street Historic District, however I have included on this page a few notable buildings just outside the boundary of the historic district. The Salem Downtown State Street-Commercial Street Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 28, 2001.

The boundary of the Historic District is indicated in red.

1. Burke Block

267 Commercial Street SE

This building is known as the Burke Block. It is technically outside of the boundaries of the Historic District by about a block but it was built in 1890. Currently it is home to a liquor store and a dance school.

Additional Links:

Burke Block at Discover-Neighborhood-History

2. Umpqua Bank (Nesmith Building site)

245 Commercial Street SE

This corner was originally the site of the Nesmith Building. In March, 1859, Oregon's statehood was announced from the Nesmith Building, which at the time housed the Governor's office and the State Supreme Court. Over the years, the building served as as Salem's Post Office and as the Women's Christian Temperance Hall. It became the home of the Oregon Statesman newspaper (now the Statesman-Journal), and was known from then on as the Statesman Building. The newspaper moved out in April of 1953, and the building became known as Smith's Block and was the home of Lambert's Furniture & Antiques for its later years until its demolition. Today this branch of Umpqua Bank stands on the site, just outside the Historic District.

Historical Photos:

Statesman Building, 1953 (Salem Public Library)

Statesman Building, January 3, 1953 (Salem Public Library)

Former Statesman Building, 1955 (Salem Public Library)

Smith's Block circa 1960 (Salem Public Library)

3. Salem Conference Center (Marion Hotel site)

200 Commercial Street SE

The 30,000 square foot Salem Conference Center was completed in 2005 and sits just outside the Historic District. It is owned by the Phoenix Grand Hotel, which was built at the same time and occupies the other half of the block. The Salem Conference Center sits on the site of the historic Marion Hotel and the Capitol Brewery.

Salem's largest hotel opened as the Chemeketa House on December 26, 1870. At the time it was the largest hotel in Oregon and was considered the finest hotel north of San Francisco. The hotel was a four-story building with a mansard roof, containing 125 rooms and 34 suites. The name of the hotel changed to the Willamette Hotel in 1890, and again to the Marion Hotel in 1910. By the 1920s, the hotel had been extensively renovated: the mansard roof was replaced with a flat one, with the fourth floor receiving more traditional walls and windows. The ground floors storefronts were also changed with much larger windows, and a fire escape was added to the front of the building.

Historical Photos:

Willamette Hotel, 1870 (Salem Public Library)

Chemeketa House, 1871 (Salem Public Library)

Chemeketa Hotel, circa 1880 (Oregon State Library)

Chemeketa Hotel, 1880s (Salem Public Library)

Hotel Willamette, circa 1890 (Salem Public Library)

Marion Hotel, circa 1900 (Salem Public Library)

Marion Hotel, circa 1909 (Oregon State Library)

Marion Hotel, circa 1920 (Salem Public Library)

Marion Hotel, 1930 (Salem Public Library)

Marion Hotel (Virginia@Picasa)

Marion Hotel, 1940 (Salem Public Library)

Marion Hotel, 1945-1955 (Salem Public Library)

While the hotel occupied the southern end of the block, the rest of the block was occupied by the Capitol Brewery. The Capitol Brewery was first built in the middle of the block in the 1880s, and expanded over the years. In 1899, the business was sold to the Salem Brewery Association. Salem went dry in 1913, but after the repeal of prohibition the brewery opened again. In 1943, the Brewery became the Sick's Brewing Company, which operated until 1953. The brewery was demolished in 1955.

Additional Links:

Illustrated History of the Salem Brewery Association at BreweryGems.com

Historical Photos:

Capitol Brewery (Oregon State Library)

Capitol Brewery, 1898 (Salem Public Library)

Salem Brewery, 1910 (Salem Public Library)

Salem Brewery, 1943 (Salem Public Library)

Sick's Brewery, 1943 (Salem Public Library)

Sick's Brewery, circa 1953 (Salem Public Library)

After the brewery was demolished, the hotel built an addition on part of the brewery site. On November 12, 1971, a fire destroyed the Marion Hotel. A new motel-like Marion Hotel and a Black Angus Restaurant were built on the site in 1973. These were demolished in 2004 for the construction of the Salem Conference Center and the Phoenix Grand Hotel.

Historical Photos:

Marion Hotel, Unknown Date (Salem Public Library)

Marion Hotel, August 5, 1961 (Salem Public Library)

Marion Hotel on fire, November 12, 1971 (Salem Public Library)

Marion Hotel after fire, November, 1971 (Salem Public Library)

Marion Hotel remains, December 23, 1971 (Salem Public Library)

New Marion Hotel under construction, 1973 (Salem Public Library)

New Marion Hotel & Black Angus Restaurant under construction, 1973 (Salem Public Library)

Additional Links:

Marion Hotel at Salem Online History

4. Fidelity National Building (Cox/Buren Building site)

198 Commercial Street SE

This corner is just inside the boundary of the Historic District, though the building itself is not historic. The site itself does have historical significance, however. In the fall of 1847, Thomas Cox arrived in Salem from Wilmington, Illinois with a stock of merchandise. That winter, he built Salem's first store building on this corner and opened Salem's first store. This building also served as Salem's first post office. Later, the Union Hotel operated here, but was destroyed in an 1863 fire. Later, this corner was the site of the Buren Building, containing the Zosel Tire Shop, and the Liberty Theater next door. They were demolished in 1955. The Buren Building included a plaque explaining the site's history. This building, the home of Fidelity National, was built in 1990, and makes no mention of the site's past.

Additional Links:

Liberty Theatre at Puget Sound Theatre Organ Society

Historical Photos:

Buren Building, 1920 (Salem Public Library)

Buren Building, April 22, 1955 (Salem Public Library)

Buren Building site after demolition, 1955 (Salem Public Library)

Marker Removed, April 1955 (Salem Public Library)

Historical Marker, 1958 (Salem Public Library)

5. Marion Car Park & Rental (Holman Building site)

195-197 Commercial Street SE

This corner is the site of the Holman Building. Built by Joseph Holman as a hotel, after Oregon's first capitol burned in 1857, the Holman Building quickly became a temporary Legislative Hall until the new capitol was completed in 1876. After serving as a business building, it was demolished in 1950, despite efforts by Oregon State Archivist David Duniway to preserve it. The Marion Car Rental & Park replaced it in 1950, one of Salem's first, if not the first, elevated rooftop parking structures.

Additional Links:

Marion Car Rental & Park at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:

Holman Building (Virginia@Picasa)

Holman Building, 1925 (Oregon State Library)

Holman Building, 1940s (Oregon State Library)

Holman Building, 1940s (Salem Public Library)

Holman Building, 1950 (Salem Public Library)

6. Weber's Bar & Scott's Cycling

147-157 Commercial Street SE

This pair of uninspiring single-story storefronts were built in 1993. They are home to Weber's Bar and Scott's Cycle.

7. Ladd & Bush Bank

302 State Street

William Ladd and Asahel Bush II has this Italianate style bank building constructed in 1868 to house their new Ladd & Bush Bank, the first bank in Salem, which opened on March 29, 1869. Originally the bank building only occupied the corner of the block with other buildings surrounding it. It was expanded in 1880, 1912 and 1941. The Ladd & Bush Bank was merged into the U.S. National Bank in 1940. In 1967 the building underwent an extensive renovation, with the interior being gutted and new concrete walls being constructed. The cast iron decoration was saved, and was supplemented with additional cast iron from Portland's similar Ladd & Tilton Bank building which was demolished at about the same time, giving the building the size and unified appearance it has today. U.S. Bank still has a branch in this building today.

Historical Photos:

Portrait of William S. Ladd (Oregon State Library)

Asahel Bush as a young man (Oregon State Library)

Asahel Bush (Salem Public Library)

Asahel Bush, circa 1890 (Salem Public Library)

Asahel Bush, circa 1900 (Oregon State Library)

Asahel Bush (Salem Public Library)

Asahel Bush (Oregon State Library)

Interior of Ladd & Bush Bank (Oregon State Library)

Ladd & Bush Bank, 1891 (Salem Public Library)

Ladd & Bush Bank Vault being installed, May 28, 1912 (Salem Public Library)

Ladd & Bush Bank, unknown date (Salem Public Library)

Ladd & Bush Bank, unknown date (Oregon State Library)

Ladd & Bush Bank, 1940s-1950s (Salem Public Library)

Ladd & Bush Bank, 1950s-1960s (Salem Public Library)

Ladd & Bush Bank during reconstruction, 1966 (Salem Public Library)

Ladd & Bush Bank, January 1967 (Salem Public Library)

Ladd & Bush Bank, 1973 (Salem Public Library)

Ladd & Bush Bank, 1973-1983 (Salem Public Library)

8. Anderson's Sports Building

129 Commercial Street SE

This small commercial building was built in 1940 as Anderson's Sports. Most recently it was the home of Les Newman's Footwear & Clothing. For many years, the front of the building was covered with diagonal wood siding, but this was eventually removed, revealing the original facade. This building was damaged by the fire in the McMahan's Building next door on August 10, 2006 (see below) and was subsequently demolished.

Additional Links:

Anderson's Sporting Goods at Salem Online History

9. Murphy Building

260 State Street

This corner is the original site of the two-story W. C. Griswold Block, which was built in 1858 and was Salem's first consequential brick building, with Griswold's store on the first floor and the Oregon Statesman published on the second. It was also Salem's first theatre, the Griswold Theater. The Griswold Block was enlarged to three stories by 1862. A fire on April 17, 1865 destroyed all the wood buildings on this side of Commercial between the Griswold's Block and the brick Holman Building at the other end of the block. The fire resistant brick buildings survived. The Griswold's Block was known later as the Capitol Hotel, with Schreder-Berg Grocery, J.C. Perry Drugs, and the New Shanghai Cafe on the main floor. The Griswold's Block was demolished in 1940, and the Murphy Building was built to replace it. The Building was leased by Hogg Brothers Furniture and Appliances, which was eventually bought out by McMahan's Furniture. On the morning of August 10, 2006, before the store opened, a fire started in the basement and quickly consumed the building. The store was planning to close permanently and a liquidation sale was in progress at the time. After an investigation that found no suspicious evidence, the building was demolished.

My job at the time had me going to downtown Salem every few days, and I was able to get pictures of the building at various points in the demolition process. The fire and subsequent demolition revealed some secrets about the Murphy Building's design that had long been hidden behind the Hogg Brothers/McMahan's awnings, like the brick core and windows in the middle of the building. Though the fire investigation kept the demolition slow at first, it would eventually pick up, signaling the last chance to observe the building's subtle Art Deco-like architectural details.

Once the investigators were done with the site, the demolition proceeded quickly. The contractor used a hydraulic excavator with a concrete crusher attachment to cut into the building's concrete structure. The crusher's powerful jaws easily sliced through the building. With the support cut, the excavator's arm could easily knock down large pieces of the floor. The following video clip shows the concrete cutter in action on December 12, 2007, the same day the pictures at left were taken.

It didn't take long to demolish the rest of the building. By the next day, only half of the structure was standing. The next time I came by, December 16, 2007, it had been completely demolished.

Historical Photos:

Capital Hotel, January 31, 1937 (Salem Public Library)

Capital Hotel, 1940 (Salem Public Library)

Capital Hotel during demolition, 1940 (Salem Public Library)

Hogg Brothers Furniture, 1970-1980 (Salem Public Library)

10. Pioneer Trust Bank

109-117 Commercial Street SE

The Pioneer Trust Bank was the first steel and concrete fire-resistant building in Salem. It included all the latest banking conveniences, including safety deposit boxes, when it was constructed by J. P. Rogers as the United States National Bank of Salem in 1909. Ladd and Bush Trust Company, surviving a U.S. National Bank acquisition in 1940, moved into this building and changed its name to the Pioneer Trust Company.

Additional Links:

Pioneer Bank & Trust Building at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:

Pioneer Bank & Trust Building, circa 1910 (Salem Public Library)

11. White & Sons Company Building

261 State Street

The White and Sons Company Building was built in 1911. It was used as the store and office building for their seed company. They also owned a much older warehouse building around the corner on Front Street, which we will come to shortly.

12. Catlin & Lynn Building

246 State Street

This was originally the site of the Tiger Engine Fire House #2, which was here from 1869 to 1893. The site is currently occupied by the Catlin and Lynn Building, which was built in 1908, and is home to a shoe store.

Historical Photos:

Catlin & Lynn Building, circa 1914 (Oregon State Library)

13. Meredith Building

236 State Street

Next to the Catlin & Lynn Building is the Meredith Building, which was built in 1923 and is currently home to a locksmith.

14. Salvation Army Building

241 State Street

After World War I, Salem's Salvation Army was in need of a building of their own. The Salem Elks Lodge held fund raising drives to raise money for a Salvation Army Building that were successful enough to allow the Salvation Army to buy a wood-frame building on this site in 1919. This brick Gothic Revival style building was constructed around 1930. The Salvation Army remained here until 1968. The building is now home to Riverfront Dance & Fitness.

Additional Links:

Salvation Army at Salem Online History

15. Smith & Wade Building

229-237 State Street

The Smith and Wade Building was built in 1869. It is currently home to the Cascade Baking Company and Mortgage West, Inc.

16. Catlin-Loose Building

226 State Street

The Catlin-Loose Building was built in 1910. In the past it was occupied by Capitol City Transfer.

Additional Links:

Capitol City Transfer at the Salem Oregon Community Guide

17. Rueben P. Boise Building

217 State Street

This building was designed by architect Fred A. Legg and was built in 1913 for Reuben P. Boise, a northwest journalist and owner of the Oregon Statesman. An interesting feature of this building is a car-size indoor ramp leading from a street level overhead door to the second floor. The building's first occupant was the Purvine Pump & Implement Company. Other occupants have included a farm store, a garage and automobile center, a steel warehouse and in electrical contractor. It was placed on the National register of Historic Places on December 2, 1981.

Historical Photos:

Portrait of Judge Rueben Patrick Boise (Salem Public Library)

Boise Building, 1992 (Salem Public Library)

18. Samuel A. Manning Building

200-210 State Street

This building was built in 1905. Samuel A. Manning, the local agent for Studebaker automobiles, McCormick harvesters and John Deere farm equipment, occupied the building from 1908 to 1921. From 1932 to 1953, it was occupied by the Salem Seed and Implement Company. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 10, 1987. It is notable for retaining its original storefront glass and framing.

19. D. A. White & Sons Warehouse

140 Front Street NE

This building was built in 1890 by Daniel Anthony White, who had come to Salem by covered wagon from Washington, Illinois. His sons were Harlan and Floyd. The building was originally used to store seed cleaning equipment. Later, White built a store around the corner on State Street. By 1926, Harlan had served a term as mayor of Salem. Harlan merged the company with James Jenks Sr. to form Jenks-White Seed. D. A. White died in 1938 and was buried at Pioneer Cemetery. By the 1950s, the building was used just to store seed, and by the 1970s it had already been empty for several years.

Additional Links:

D. A. White & Sons Feed Store at Discover-Neighborhood-History

Historical Photos:

D. A. White & Sons Warehouse, March, 1974 (Salem Public Library)

20. Durbin, Watkins-Dearborn & Alejandro's Buildings

315 State Street, 110-120 Commercial Street NE

The Durbin Building, 315-333 State Street, was built in 1860-1870. It was initially the home of T. B. Wait's Hardware & Farm Machinery. Later it was home to Karl's Shoes, with Dr. Harry Semler's optical offices on the second floor, and the Salem Drug Co., with Dr. F. C. Jones's dental office on the second floor.

Next to it is the Watkins-Dearborn Building at 110 NE Commercial Street, built in 1870. W. H. Watkins sold the building to Richard H. Dearborn in 1875, who used it for his harness-making business to about 1910. In 1912, it was home to J. P. Feilen's Holland Bakery, and later it housed the offices of Edward Rostein and Samuel Adolph.

The Alejandro's Restaurant building at 120 NE Commercial Street was originally built 1870. It has housed a livery, Buren & Hamilton Furniture, Salem Hardware, YMCA rooms, a painting company, and a photo shop.

Additional Links:

Durbin Building at Salem Online History

Watkins-Dearborn Building at Salem Online History

Alejandro's Restaurant Building at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:

Durbin Building, 1880s (Salem Public Library)

Durbin Building and Commercial Street, September 20, 1886 (Salem Public Library)

Durbin Building and Commercial Street, 1930s (Salem Public Library)

Durbin Building and Commercial Street, 1935-1939 (Salem Public Library)

Durbin Building, 1930s (Salem Public Library)

Durbin Building and Commercial Street, 1939 (Salem Public Library)

Durbin Building, 1941-1943 (Salem Public Library)

Durbin Building, November, 1958 (Salem Public Library)

Durbin Building, unknown date (Salem Public Library)

Alejandro's Restaurant as Buren & Hamilton, unknown date (Salem Public Library)

21. Capitol National Bank

129 Commercial Street NE

This Richardsonian Romanesque style building, originally built in 1880, was remodeled in 1892 to its rusticated stone appearance, and became Capital National Bank. Designed by C. S. McNally and W. C. Knighton, this facade is reportedly a copy of Philadelphia's First National Bank of the Republic. The keystone in the arch over a second story window bears the facsimile of the beaver dollar, a $10 gold piece minted in 1849 when Oregon was a territory. Capitol National Bank became First National Bank in 1924, and moved soon after. In the mid-1940s, this building was occupied by Huggins Insurance. The ground floor was remodeled in 1950 by James L. Payne, Salem architect, at which time the building was occupied by 1st Federal Savings. Today it is home of Globe Travel. Bronze letters spelling out BANK are still imbedded in the sidewalk in front of the building.

Additional Links:

Capital National Bank at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:

Capitol National Bank Building (Oregon State Library)

Capital National Bank, unknown date (Salem Public Library)

1st Federal Savings, unknown date (Salem Public Library)

Globe Travel, unknown date (Salem Public Library)

22. Bush-Breyman Block

135-147 Commercial Street NE

The Victorian Italianate Bush-Breyman Block was designed by architect Walter D. Pugh and built in 1889 as a joint development between Asahel Bush II and Werner Breymen. It originally extended north up the block to the Bush & Brey Block. The buildings between were destroyed by fire in 1960. This building was home to a clothing store and the Schaeffer Drugs soda fountain in the 1940s. The upper floor offices were occupied at various times by Benjamin F. Bonham, Charles L. McNary, and John McNary. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 17, 1978. It is currently home to Unfinished Furniture of Oregon and Fox Blueprinting.

Additional Links:

Bush-Breyman Block at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:

Parade on Commercial Street, 1927 (Salem Public Library)

Bush-Breyman Block, 1949 (Salem Public Library)

Bush-Breyman Block, 1992 (Salem Public Library)

23. Bush & Brey Block & Annex

179-197 Commercial Street NE

This block was designed by architect Walter Pugh for Asahel Bush II, and Mortiz Brey, a cabinet maker. It was built in 1889. Retail clothing stores (including Les Newman's), printers, hemstichers and dressmakers have operated in this building, as well as the Busick and Sons grocery store from 1924 to 1970. More recently MVP's Restaurant & Lounge has called it home. The 1895-built annex behind the main building, which originally matched the main building, is currently home to the Busick Court Restaurant, named after the grocery store the once occupied it.

Additional Links:

Bush & Brey Block at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:

Crowd outside McEvoy's Dress Shop, 1889 (Oregon State Library)

Les Newman's Outdoor Clothing in the Bush & Bray Block, 1960-1965 (Salem Public Library)

Bush & Bray Block, 1975-1985 (Salem Public Library)

Bush & Bray Block, 1992 (Salem Public Library)

24. Breyman Brothers Block

174-188 Commercial Street NE

Werner and Eugene Breyman purchased this property in 1869. The corner building was built in 1874, and the building next to it was built 30 years later in 1904. Both originally had Italianate architecture and the corner building was painted white, giving it the nickname of the White Corner. In the late 1940s, the Breyman/Boise family modernized the exteriors to a unified appearance.

Additional Links:

174 at Salem Online History

188 at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:

Breyman Building, 1874 (Salem Public Library)

Oregon National Guard in front of Breyman Brothers Block in 1883 (Oregon State Library)

Parade on Commercial Street, July 2, 1938 (Salem Public Library)

Breyman Block, 1960s (Salem Public Library)

25. Anderson Building

201-211 Commercial Street NE

When built in 1867, the Starkey-McCully Block extended to this corner. William R. Anderson was the owner of the property at the time. This may be the same structure, having been renovated with a new facade around the turn of the century, or it may be an entirely new building constructed at that time. Mark H. & Martha Schnuelle Gehlar purchased the building in 1958 and it passed to their children, Mark and Mack G. Gehlar, in the 1960s. Today it is home to Nopp's Jewelry & Art and an antique store.

Additional Links:

Anderson Building at Salem Online History

26. Starkey-McCully Block

223-233 Commercial Street NE

Only 70 feet of the original 120 feet of the 1867-built Starkey-McCully block remains. It originally extended to the end of the block where the Anderson Building stands today. The cast iron decoration on the facade was made by the Oregon Iron Works of Portland and is believed to be the oldest of its kind remaining in Oregon. Using money gleaned from the California gold rush, John L. Starkey and Asa McCully opened their second general store here in 1867. Other occupants included grocery stores, Charles G. Giver's shoe repair, E. S. Lamport's harness shop, Charles W. Hellenbrand's restaurant, and Quackenbush auto supplies, Watt Shipp & Co. sporting goods, F. W. Pettyjohn & Co. automobiles, Nash Furniture Company, Coast to Coast hardware, Valley Furniture and the Army & Navy Store. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 12, 1979. A recent paint job greatly improved its appearance.

Additional Links:

Starkey-McCully Building at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:

West side of Commercial Street from Court Street, 1887 (Virginia@Picasa)

Starkey-McCully Building, 1945-1955 (Salem Public Library)

Starkey-McCully Building, 1992 (Salem Public Library)

27. South First National Bank Block

241-247 Commercial Street NE

The South First National Bank Block was designed by architect Holly Austin Cornell (son of Oregon's pioneer Cornells for whom Portland's Cornell Road is named) and was built in 1887. It is the only existing Salem building designed by Cornell. In the 1940s was home to the Benjamin Forstner Store. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 31, 1983. It is currently home to The Blue Pepper.

Historical Photos:

South First National Bank Building, 1992 (Salem Public Library)

28. Eldridge-Greenbaum Building

240 Commercial Street NE

Built in 1889, the Eldridge-Greenbaum Building, also known as the South Eldridge Block, is the southern component of an original twenty-three-bay building that extended to the north end of the block. Local architect William F. Boothby originally designed, built and owned the Eldridge block, which originally features two large pointed spires, one of which was in the middle of this section. The building was later known as the Boyce Building and the Barnes Cash Store. The rest of the building was demolished in November 1954. This building has housed Greenbaum's, a department store since 1900. The building was purchased by the Rostein-Greenbaum partnership in 1919 and became Greenbaum's Fine Fabrics in the 1940s. It is still owned by the family, and has been a quilting fabric shop known as Greenbaum's Quilted Forest since 1988.

Additional Links:

Eldridge-Greenbaum Building at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:

Boyce Building (Oregon State Library)

Boyce Building, 1940 (Salem Public Library)

29. England Block & England-Wade Building

216-236 Commercial Street NE

William England purchased these properties in the 1860s. The southern building (on the right), known as the England Block, was built in 1877. The northern building, now known as the England-Wade Building, was built in 1887. Both buildings originally featured Italianate architecture like many of downtown Salem's buildings of the time. Robert M. Wade, who operated an agriculture and household equipment company called R. M. Wade & Company out of the corner building next door, purchased one or both of these buildings from England in the 1880s. Both buildings were remodeled around 1950, gaining more modern appearances, however the fact that they were given very different looks suggests that they were remodeled separately, and may have had different owners at the time.

Additional Links:

England Block at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:

England-Wade Building as Allen Hardware, unknown date (Salem Public Library)

30. Pearce Building

305-321 Court Street NE

The previous building on this corner was built in 1869 and was home to Robert M. Wade & Company Farm Machinery & Wagons. It later became the Ray L. Farmer Hardware Company. Sisters Helen and Dorothy Pearce acquired this property from the Wade & Pearce Company, which their father, George Pearce, had been President of since 1885. They extensively remodeled the building into the present Modern style building in 1940. Helen, a graduate from Willamette University in 1915, was an authority on Salem and Oregon history, co-editing the first ten volumes of "Marion County History." Dorothy, who studied in Boston and New York, taught music in her studio in Salem for many years. In the early 1940's, this building was home to the Moderne Gift Shop and Modern Modes Women's Clothing with a dance school on the second floor.

Historical Photos:

September 10, 1883 (Salem Public Library)

Previous Building, 1890 (Salem Public Library)

July 4, 1892 (Salem Public Library)

July 4, 1902 (Salem Public Library)

Previous Building and Commercial Street, 1940 (Salem Public Library)

Pearce Building and Commercial Street, 1943 (Salem Public Library)

October 23, 1961 (Salem Public Library)

31. Enright-Halik Building & Steeves Building

339-347 Court Street NE

The Enright-Halik Building was built in 1900 and the Steeves Building was built 1929. The Steeves Building has been home to the Court Street Dairy Lunch since 1929, which was founded by Glen Morris and was operated by members of the Morris family until 1994.

32. New Breyman Building

340 Court Street NE

The New Breyman Building was built in 1910. It housed the Elfstrom & Eyre Department Store in the early 1950s, then housed the Roberts Brothers Department Store into the 1960s. It is now the home of Sid's Home Furnishings.

Historical Photos:

Elfstrom & Eyre, May 28, 1952 (Salem Public Library)

Roberts Bros. Department Store, September, 1956 (Salem Public Library)

Roberts Bros. Department Store, October 23, 1961 (Salem Public Library)

33. Christopher Paulus Building

355-363 Court Street NE

This building was built by contractor Christopher Paulus in 1907 as a single storefront that housed various furniture stores. It was split into two spaces in 1931. Doughton's Hardware called the west end home from 1934-1991. Elliott Dry Goods and Sally's Women's Clothing occupied the East section before WWII. Presumably it has also been home to Giese-Powers Furniture, if the painted sign on the side is any indication. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 5, 1992. It is currently home to Northwest Knives & Collectibles and Lullu's tutto cucina.

Historical Photos:

Paulus Building, 1992 (Salem Public Library)

34. Kopper Kitchen & Offices

377-387 Court Street NE

The Kopper Kitchen restaurant was built in 1964 on the site of a single-story building that housed a barber shop from 1935-1960. today the Kopper Kitchen is the India Palace Restaurant. Next door was the site of the single-story 1905 Wagner Building, that over the years housed Lady Fair Hats, Marilyn Shoes and various florists. The current office building was built in 1980.

Additional Links:

India Palace Restaurant at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:

377-387 Court Street, 1945-1955 (Salem Public Library)

Kopper Kitchen Restaurant at 377 Court Street, April 28, 1964 (Salem Public Library)

35. Steusloff Brothers Building

399 Court Street NE

In the late 1800s, this corner was the site of a Chinese laundry called the Sung Lung Washing & Ironing House. The Steusloff Brothers Building was originally built in 1902 with Queen Anne architecture. In 1948, Claude, Ivan and Muriel Steusloff took out a mortgage against the property and remodeled it in the Moderne style. The Steusloff family operated Valley Packing Company. The Building has been operated by Jackson Jewelers since 1944 and was purchased by them in 2001. Their neon street clock has been in place since the 1940s when the corner was occupied by Sally's women's clothing store. Today it is a Starbucks.

Historical Photos:

Sung Lung Washing & Ironing House, 1889 (Salem Public Library)

Steusloff Building, 1940s (Salem Public Library)

Steusloff Building, late 1940s (Salem Public Library)

36. Anderson's Sporting Goods

241 Liberty Street NE

This Building was built in 1920. The Electric Apartments were owned by Portland General Electric in the 1940s. More recently the building was occupied by Anderson's Sporting Goods, which had a large wood facade built to cover the second floor. The building was purchased in 2005 after being vacant for almost four years since 2001 and was subsequently renovated.

Like the building next door, this building was built in 1920, and was once occupied by J. J. Newberry's. It became part of Anderson's Sporting Goods and was also covered by the wooden facade. It was purchased in 2005 with the building next door and renovated.

Historical Photos:

View of Liberty Street in the 1950s, showing this building as Newberry's (Salem Public Library)

Anderson's Sporting Goods, 2007 (Virginia@Picasa)

37. Elfstrom & Eyre Department Store

260 Liberty Street NE

This site was a vacant lot in 1948, and I think the current building was built in 1970. In the past this site has been home to the Elfstrom & Eyre Department Store, though I don't know if that was a previous building or this one. This building has been vacant for several years.

38. First National Bank Building

280 Liberty Street NE

This building was built for the First National Bank of Oregon in 1947. The bank became the First Interstate Bank of Oregon in 1982, and later became Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo moved out in 2001, moving to a former First Security branch at 580 State Street. A new owner purchased the building in late 2005.

Historical Photos:

First National Bank, 1980 (Salem Public Library)

39. Brewer Block

405 Court Street NE

The Brewer Block was built in 1904. Dr. Brewer operated a drug store on the ground floor and had his office upstairs. The Cherry City Land Company also occupied the top floor. In the 1940s, it was the home of Paramount Shoes.

Historical Photos:

Brewer Building, 1912 (Salem Public Library)

Brewer Building, 1941 (Salem Public Library)

40. Moore Building & Skiff Block

409-429 Court Street NE

The Queen Anne style building on the far right was built in 1895 and was likely first owned and used as a residence by John A. Darr. Mark and Ada Skiff purchased and remodeled it in 1903 and it was used by Norwood Grocery Store soon after. It later housed C. M. Roberts & Company Groceries and the Fashionette Clothing Store. The left hand side of the Skiff Block was built in 1906 and contained offices and shops, including a business called Margaret's Shop at one time. The larger building on the far left is the Wallace & Mabel Moore Building, also known as the Royal Building. It was built in 1916, ad is currently home to a florist.

Additional Links:

Ada & Mark Skiff Block at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:

Ada & Mark Skiff Block, 1904 (Salem Public Library)

Ada & Mark Skiff Block, 1930s (Salem Public Library)

Ada & Mark Skiff Block detail, March 1953 (Salem Public Library)

41. H. L. Stiff Furniture Building

450 Court Street NE

The H.L. Stiff Furniture Building was built in 1916. It is currently home to a book store called the Book Bin.

42. Adolph-Waters Building

176 Liberty Street NE

The Adolph-Waters Building was built in 1924. Among the businesses that have called it home is Gay Blade Clothes for Men, which was located there in the late 1960s. Today it is a branch of the Washington Federal Savings Bank.

Historical Photos:

Adolph-Waters Building, 1968 (Salem Public Library)

43. Reed Opera House

189 Liberty Street NE

This Italianate and Commercial style building was designed by architect G. W. Rhodes for General Cyrus Adams Reed who was influential with the economic development in Salem and served three terms in the state legislature. The Opera House opened October 9, 1869 with a 1,500 seat auditorium on the second floor. The Oregon Supreme Court and State Library were located on the third floor and seven stores were on the first floor. An Inaugural Ball was held here in 1870 for Governor Grover, and a banquet to celebrate the legislative appropriation for a new state capitol was held in 1872. Eventually E. P. McCormack took over the building, and the opera house closed in April 1900 after the Grand Opera House opened at the Odd Fellows Hall. The interior was redesigned by E. P. McCormack for use as Joseph Meyers and Sons Department Store, which later became Miller's Department Store. The building was rehabilitated in 1976. The Reed Opera House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 8, 1978. In 2003, the building was purchased by Roger Yost, who renovated it yet again and replaced the rooftop pediment, corona and brackets that had been removed decades ago.

Additional Links:

Reed Opera House at Salem Online History

Reed Opera House at the Salem Oregon Community Guide

Historical Photos:

Reed Opera House, 1880 (Salem Public Library)

Reed Opera House, 1888 (Salem Public Library)

Reed Opera House, 1888-1895 (Salem Public Library)

Reed Opera House, 1893 (Salem Public Library)

Reed Opera House, 1893 (Oregon State Library)

Reed Opera House, 1920 (Salem Public Library)

Reed Opera House, 1970 (Salem Public Library)

Reed Opera House, 1965-1978 (Salem Public Library)

Reed Opera House, 1975-1980 (Salem Public Library)

Reed Opera House, 1992 (Salem Public Library)

44. McCormack Block Addition

177 Liberty Street NE

The McCormack Block Addition next to the Reed Opera House was built in 1902. It housed Worth's Department Store, with a beauty college on the second floor, then Robert's Brothers Department Store. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places with the Reed Opera House on March 8, 1978.

Historical Photos:

McCormack Building, 1939 (Salem Public Library)

McCormack Building, May 28, 1952 (Salem Public Library)

McCormack Building, September, 1956 (Salem Public Library)

45. Montgomery Wards Building

155 Liberty Street NE

This site was originally the site of a number of small, single-story wood buildings. Built in 1936, this Colonial Revival style building was commissioned by Mark and Ada Skiff and designed by architect Robert Rowe for Montgomery Ward. More recently it was the home of Gold's Gym. A renovation completed in 2007 led to it being called the Salem Arts Building. It is now home to clothing store Madison Avenue and Awakenings Therapeutic Massage & Body Work.

Historical Photos:

Previous Storefronts, 1936 (Salem Public Library)

Montgomery Wards Building, 1939 (Salem Public Library)

46. Hughes-Durbin Building

160 Liberty Street NE

The Hughes-Durbin Building, also known as the Metropolitan Building, was built in 1916. It has been vacant since 1999. A recent renovation added a large structure on the roof.

Additional Links:

Inside the Metropolitan gallery by TNji at Picasa Web Albums

47. Engleberg Building

148 Liberty Street NE

The Engleberg Building was built in 1915. The building served as the first Fred Meyer store in Salem. Later it was occupied by Marilyn's Shoes. Today is it Salem's largest antique mall, called Engleberg Antiks/Angel Mountain Antiques.

Historical Photos:

Fred Meyer store, unknown date (Salem Public Library)

48. Eckerlan Building

145-147 Liberty Street NE

This building was built by the Gray Brothers in 1894. It was purchased by Eugene Eckerlan in 1909. Bishop's Clothing Store moved in in 1936. Charles P. Bishop came to Salem in 1889 and was Thomas Kay's son in law and worked in the woolen mill. His family now owns Pendleton Woolen Mills. The second floor housed Neil K. McCue's Capitol Business School.

Additional Links:

Inside Bishop/Anderson Buildings by TNji at Picasa Web Albums

Historical Photos:

Eckerlan Building, March 10, 1967 (Salem Public Library)

49. Roth Company Building

120 Liberty Street NE

The Roth Company Building was built in 1916. It was part of the Woolworth's store in the McGilchrist Building next door. Today it is home to Jonathan's Long Bar.

Historical Photos:

February 15, 1959 (Salem Public Library)

50. McGilchrist Building

102-110 Liberty Street NE

This corner was originally known as the Verani Corner, and was the site of several small wood stores including a barber shop and L. C. Fisher's cigar shop. The McGilchrist Building was built in 1916. The Capital Drug Store occupied the corner with F. W. Woolworth's filling the rest, with entrances facing on both Liberty Street and State Street.

Historical Photos:

Verani Corner, 1912 (Salem Public Library)

McGilchrist Building, early 1950s (Salem Public Library)

51. Bligh Hotel-Theater Site

441 State Street

Thomas Gregor Bligh built the Bligh Hotel and Theater on this site in 1912. The building was demolished in June 1975. The alley in this block features brick arches for some reason.

Historical Photos:

Postcard View of Bligh Hotel (Salem Heritage Network)

Bligh Hotel, circa 1940 (Salem Public Library)

Bligh Hotel demolition, June 17, 1975 (Salem Public Library)

52. Grey Belle Restaurant

440 State Street

The Grey Belle Restaurant was built in 1980. Today it is a Chinese restaurant called Ming's.

53. Western Security Bank

416 State Street

This corner was originally the site of an unofficial city hall in the early 1890s. The Salem Bank & Trust Company Building was built here 1910-1912. It was later known as the Guardian Building. It was destroyed by a fire on November 3, 1947. An Anita clothing store was later built here. In the 1970s, the Western Security Bank next door bought the clothing store building, tore it down, and expanded the bank to fill the corner in 1980. Today the bank is a branch of Key Bank.

Additional Links:

Guardian Building Fire at the Salem Online Community Guide

Historical Photos:

Guardian Building, 1912 (Salem Public Library)

Guardian Building on fire, November 3, 1947 (Salem Public Library)

Guardian Building on fire, November 3, 1947 (Virginia@Picasa)

Anita clothing store, 1968-1970 (Salem Public Library)

Western Security Bank, 1975-1980 (Salem Public Library)

54. Capitol Center

388 State Street

Built in 1923-1927, this reinforced scored concrete building was designed by architect L.L. Dougan and financed by hops dealer, mayor and bank board member Thomas Livesly (through the First National Bank). When it opened in 1926, 75 percent of the spaces were leased by predominantly physicians and dentists. The bank occupied the ground floor until the late 1940s when Stevens and Sons Jewelers established tenancy through 1982. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 9, 1986, after being rehabilitated by Morse Bros. and renamed Capitol Center. At 164 feet in height & 319 feet above sea level at the top of the highest antenna, Capital Center is the third tallest building and third highest point in Salem, after the steeple spire of the First United Methodist Church, & the Oregon State Capitol building.

Additional Links:

Thomas A. Livesley at Salem Online History

Capitol Center at the Salem Oregon Community Guide

Salem Oregon's Tallest Building at the Salem Oregon Community Guide

Historical Photos:

Portrait of Thomas A. Livesley (Oregon State Library)

Capitol Tower Building, 1964 (Salem Public Library)

Capitol Center, 1991 (Salem Public Library)

Capitol Center, 1992 (Salem Public Library)

55. Adolph Block & J. K. Gill Building

356-372 State Street

The J. K .Gill Building was built in 1868. In 1880, Samuel Adolph had a block of three brick stores built next door, replacing the wood buildings destroyed by fire. Samuel immigrated to the U.S. from Germany in 1855. He arrived in Salem in 1867, began in the brewery business, served on the city council and built several business blocks downtown. The Adolph block has been home to barber shop, The Sam Adolph Saloon, cigar store, restaurant, jewelry store, sporting goods shop, and hops office, Kraps & Long Commercial Printers, Marshall-Wells Hardware & Sporting Goods. J. L. Cooke moved his stationary store here in 1935. James A. Henry purchased the business in 1957 and his children continue to operate it as Cooke Stationary. The eastern part of the building was recently renovated and is home to The Wild Pear. The Adolph Block and J. K. Gill Building were placed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 1, 1980.

Historical Photos:

Adolph Block, 1940s (Salem Public Library)

Adolph Block, 1992 (Salem Public Library)

J. K. Gill Building, 1992 (Salem Public Library)

56. Bayne Building

335-349 State Street

Built in 1902, this Commercial style building was designed by William Knighton, who became Oregon's first state architect in 1913, for John and George Bayne. George was a hop grower active in local politics, serving on the Salem City Council during 1903-1907. The OK Barber Shop has been located here since at least 1907, and was remodeled in 1961. This building was also the home to the Brownell Electric Company. More recent occupants include the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery and Guitar Castle.

57. Farrar Building

351-373 State Street

The Farrar Building was built in 1917. Businesses that once called the Farrar Building home included the Midget Market, the Postal-Telegraph and stores for shoes, tobacco, flowers and clothing, and a Smoke Shop from 1953 to the 1980s. The Building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 26, 1982. Arbuckle Costic Architects renovated in 1995 and made the building their headquarters.

Historical Photos:

Farrar Building, 1992 (Salem Public Library)

58. Pomeroy Building

379-383 State Street

This building was built in 1860 as a boarding house. It was purchased by jeweler Charles T. Pomeroy and A. A. Keene. Pomeroy & Keene Jewelry remained here until the 1990s, managed by Audrey Pomeroy. Her brother, an optician, had a shop here too for a time. The street clock is a model 13404 built by the Brown Street Clock Company of Monessen, Pennsylvania.

Historical Photos:

Pomeroy Building, 1941 (Salem Public Library)

59. Gray Building

105-135 Liberty Street NE

This Italianate style building was built in 1891. Brothers Charles A. and George B. Gray operated a hardware business in the building, while their brother William T. Gray worked as a general contractor. The Gray Brothers left Salem by 1907 and the building was sold to Russell Catlin, who divided the ground floor into four shops. Hartman Jeweler was once located here. Today it is The Brick Bar & Broiler.

60. Quisenberry Pharmacy

150 Liberty Street SE

The Quisenberry Pharmacy building was built in 1926. This family-owned pharmacy has been here for a very long time.

Historical Photos:

Quisenberry Pharmacy, 1979 (Salem Public Library)

61. Checks Cashed

198 Liberty Street SE

This building was built in 1920 and was remodeled in the 1950s or 1960s. It is currently home of a check cashing business.

Additional Links:

Checks Cashed Building at Salem Online History

62. Phoenix Grand Hotel (Salem Armory site)

201 Liberty Street SE

Just outside the Historic District, the Phoenix Grand Hotel was completed in 2005. It is built on the site of the Salem Armory. The Armory was dedicated on June 17, 1912. It was demolished in 1962 and the Marion Motor Hotel was built in its place. The motel was demolished in 2004 for the new Phoenix Grand Hotel.

Historical Photos:

Salem Armory, 1911 (Salem Public Library)

Salem Armory, June 17, 1912 (Salem Public Library)

Salem Armory, 1915 (Salem Public Library)

Salem Armory, 1959 (Salem Public Library)

Salem Armory, August 1961 (Salem Public Library)

Marion Motor Hotel, 1975-1980 (Salem Public Library)

63. Crystal Garden Ballroom

210 Liberty Street SE

Also outside the Historic District is this building, which was the Crystal Garden Ballroom. It featured dancing on the main and second floors and a swimming pool in the basement. Later, the main floor was home to the Merritt Davis School of Commerce.

Additional Links:

Crystal Ballroom at Discover-Neighborhood-History

Historical Photos:

Crystal Garden Ballroom, July 21, 1961 (Salem Public Library)

64. Vick Building

525 Trade Street SE

The Vick Building is about a block outside the Historic District. It was built in 1912, and was the home of the Vick Brothers automobile dealership. The building has also been used as government office space.

Historical Photos:

Vick Building, August 14, 1977 (Salem Public Library)

65. J. Hughes New Salem Hotel

153-191 High Street SE

The J. Hughes New Salem Hotel is inside the Historic District and was built in 1926. Businesses housed here include the Jaquith Music Company.

Historical Photos:

Hughes Building, 1945 (Salem Public Library)

66. Elsinore Theater

170 High Street SE

The Tudor Gothic Elsinore Theater was designed by Ellis F. Lawrence (founder and first dean of the University of Oregon School of Architecture) and Fred S. Allyn of the Lawrence & Holford firm and was built by George Guthrie at a cost of $250,000. It was designed for both stage and film, and featured the largest stage between San Francisco and Portland when it was new. It is named for Danish castle from Shakespeare's Hamlet, which it was designed to resemble. The theater opened on May 28, 1926, showing Cecil B. DeMille's silent film The Volga Boatman. For a time, movies were combined with vaudeville. Celebrities who have appeared at the Elsinore include John Philip Sousa, Clark Gable and Edgar Bergen with Charlie McCarthy.

The Elsinore's castle-like main lobby is dominated by towering stone gothic arches and vaulted ceilings 25 feet in the air.

Blue indirect lighting is hidden in the capitals of the columns in the lobby. This blue lighting reacts with the dark tones of the vaulted ceilings to give the illusion of a night sky.

Large murals tower over the grand staircases at each end of the lobby, depicting the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet and the witches scene from MacBeth. These murals are over 20 feet tall.

The Elsinore Theater features Povey Brothers stained glass windows. I've only been inside the Elsinore at night, when the exterior windows can't really be photographed, but here is a Povey stained-glass EXIT sign on one of the balcony levels.

The Elsinore's auditorium

The Elsinore Theater's Auditorium features two balcony levels.

The Elsinore was originally equipped with a Wurlitzer organ that remained into the theater until the late 1960s. Another Wurlitzer was donated and installed in the theater in 1986 by Rick and Clayton Parks. This is the console.

After being in decline and deteriorating for years, the Elsinore was nearly demolished in the early 1980s. The Save the Elsinore Committee was formed to raise community awareness of the theater and raise funds for its restoration. The organization gained the support of owner Tom Moyer and eventually raised the funds for an initial restoration.

The Friends of the Elsinore celebrated the completion of a $130,000 restoration with a "hand-in-the-cement" ceremony on May 29, 1986. The ceremony included Raymond Barton, Aubray Pierce, Roger Gertenrich, Jerry Proctor, Sue Miller, Tom Moyer, Victor Atiyeh, Mark O. Hatfield and Gerry Frank.

Tom Moyer sold his theaters to Act III Theaters in the late 1980s. The Save the Elsinore Committee merged with the Salem Community Auditorium Committee to form STAGE: the Salem Theater Auditorium Group Enterprise, which bought the Elsinore from Act III in 1993 through a grant from the Meyer Memorial Trust. The Elsinore Theater was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 17, 1994. The theater began operating as a performing arts center, but was still in need of a major restoration. Gregory Peck gave the final performance of his career at the Elsinore in 2000, and James Earl Jones and Bernadette Peters appeared in 2001. From 2002 to 2004, a complete restoration of the theater was performed, returning it to its original glory.

Additional Links:

Elsinore Theater at Salem Online History

Elsinore Theater at the Salem Oregon Community Guide

Elsinore Theatre at Cinema Treasures

Elsinore Theatre at CinemaTour

Elsinore Theatre at Puget Sound Theatre Organ Society

Historical Photos:

Elsinore Theater lobby (Oregon State Library)

Elsinore Theater Interior, 1926 (Salem Public Library)

Elsinore Theatre, 1930 (Salem Public Library)

High Street showing Elsinore Theatre, 1935-1940 (Salem Public Library)

Elsinore Theatre after the Columbus Day Storm, October 1962 (Salem Public Library)

Elsinore Theatre, October 4, 1991 (Salem Public Library)

Elsinore Theatre, 1992 (Salem Public Library)

67. Bligh Building

508-524 State Street

Frank D. Bligh and his mother, Anna Bligh, bought this property when the Hotel Salem (originally built 1864 by Joseph Miller as Cook's Hotel and was the first brick hotel in Salem) still stood on the site, and demolished it in 1926 and built this building. Walter C. & Lottie D. Winslow bought the building in 1945 and it passed to their son Norman, who sold it to Samuel Blair and T. K. Haenny in 1976. This building once housed the Blue Bird Cafe.

Additional Links:

Bligh Building at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:

Cook's Hotel at State & High in 1890 (Salem Public Library)

68. Capitol Theater Site

542 State Street

Bligh's Capitol Theater opened on October 5, 1926, and featured a Wurlitzer organ. It became the Warner Bros. Capitol Theater in 1930. In 1941, the organ was moved to the Civic Ice Arena in Seattle. By 1952, the capitol dome marquee had been replaced by a new marquee. The Capitol Theater was demolished in 2001, though the stage house remains, with the opening from the proscenium arch blocked up. Some other traces can be seen on the wall of the Bligh Building, including the outline of the balcony and a column from the theater facade.

Additional Links:

Capitol Theatre at Cinema Treasures

Capitol Theatre at Puget Sound Theatre Organ Society

Historical Photos:

View of State Street showing the Capitol Theater, circa 1926 (Oregon Historical Society)

View of State Street showing the Capitol Theater, 1930s (Virginia@Picasa)

Capitol Theater, 1926-1927 (Salem Public Library)

Capitol Theater, 1927 (Salem Public Library)

Capitol Theater, 1928 (Salem Public Library)

Capitol Theater, 1939 (Salem Public Library)

Capitol Theater Interior, 1940 (Salem Public Library)

Capitol Theater, May 30, 1941 (Salem Public Library)

Capitol Theater Marquee, showing a movie from 1952 (Salem Public Library)

69. Hubbard Building

494 State Street

The Hubbard Building served as the Oregon Electric Railway Depot and was home to the Globe Theater, later called the Oregon Theater. The theater featured a Wurlitzer organ that was shipped in September 1919. This organ was removed in 1925, and parts of it were used in the new organ at the Elsinore Theater. Later, the building was a Sears store, a record store and a Pay Less drug store, Cupboard Cafe, Zilka Smither Investment Company, and a barber shop.

Additional Links:

Oregon Theatre at Puget Sound Theatre Organ Society

Historical Photos:

Hubbard Building, 1907 (Salem Public Library)

Hubbard Building, circa 1930 (Salem Public Library)

Hubbard Building, unknown date (Salem Public Library)

Oregon Building, 1951 (Salem Public Library)

Oregon Building, unknown date (Salem Public Library)

70. Kelly Services Building

456 State Street

This building is the Kelly Services Building. It was built in 1967.

71. Masonic Temple

101 High Street NE

Designed by architect Ellis F. Lawrence, founder and first dean of the University of Oregon School of Architecture, the Masonic Temple was constructed in 1912. This Mediterranean/Moorish style building is constructed of reinforced concrete faced with brick and terra cotta detailing. Most of the building contains offices, and the top floor contains a ballroom. The ground floor went on to be occupied by the Benjamin Franklin Savings & Loan, and today the building is known as the Franklin Building.

Additional Links:

Masonic Building at Salem Online History

Masonic Building at the Salem Oregon Community Guide

Historical Photos:

Masonic Lodge Building (Oregon State Library)

Masonic Building, 1973 (Salem Public Library)

72. Central Stage Terminal & Hotel

181 High Street NE

The Central Stage Terminal and Hotel was designed by Morris Whitehouse and was built 1921.

73. Odd Fellows Hall

185-195 High Street NE

Chemeketa Lodge No. 1 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows was designed by Walter Pugh and John Gray in the Richardian Romanesque style and was built in 1900. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), a fraternal order that provided members with benefits for illness, funerals and various other community services, was founded in Salem in 1852 and has been located on this site since 1869. The building housed the Grand Opera House, later the Grand Theater, from about 1900 to 1950. It was also home to the Opera House Pharmacy and Wiles Drug Store. In later years, was also used as a bus station. When built, it was topped by a large tower, which was removed after being damaged in a January 31, 1937 snowstorm. It was placed on the National register of Historic Places on April 8, 1988. The IOOF sold the building in 1995, moving to a new lodge building in West Salem. Today this building is home to the Grand Ballroom.

Additional Links:

Oddfellows at Salem Online History

Grand Theatre at Puget Sound Theatre Organ Society

Grand Theatre at the Salem Online Community Guide

Historical Photos:

Odd Fellows Hall, circa 1900 (HistoricPhotoArchive.com)

Odd Fellows Hall, 1903 (Oregon State Library)

Odd Fellows Hall, 1920s (Salem Public Library)

View showing Odd Fellows Hall in the 1920s (Virginia@Picasa)

Odd Fellows Hall, 1932 (Salem Public Library)

Odd Fellows Hall, 1992 (Salem Public Library)

74. Meyers Building & D'Arcy Building

455-467 Court Street NE

The Meyers Building was built in 1906. Peter H. D'Arcy bought this property from Joseph Meyers in September 1908 and built the D'Arcy building during the following year as a 1-1/2-story building that housed the Wexford Theatre. By 1926, the building had been renovated to a full two-story building with a very different facade and went on to house Good Housekeeping Furniture and Appliances. The two buildings currently house Whitlock's Vacuum Cleaner Clinic and Sewing Center.

Additional Links:

D'Arcy Building at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:

Portrait of Peter H. D'Arcy (Oregon State Library)

D'Arcy Building, 1915 (Salem Public Library)

75. T. G. Bligh Building

223-233 High Street NE

Thomas Gregor Bligh bought this property in August, 1922 from the Salem Elks, who had a lodge building here. Bligh built this building in 1923. In November 1924, Bligh was killed in an automobile accident and the property passed to his wife, Anna Bligh. She sold the building to Charles P. Bishop in March 1927. Businesses housed here include Ohmart & Calaba Real Estate, Clark's Sandwich Shop, Kay Typewriter Company, and Olson Florist, Inc., which has been here since 1926. The street clock was made by the Electric Time Company of Medfield, Massachusetts, and features a T-style face and WS-style hands.

Additional Links:

T. G. Bligh Building at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:

Portrait of Thomas Gregory Bligh (Oregon State Library)

T. G. Bligh Building, unknown date (Salem Public Library)

Christmas Parade Float passing T.G. Bligh Building, November 26, 1955 (Salem Public Library)

T. G. Bligh Building damaged by Columbus Day Storm, 1962 (Salem Public Library)

76. Arthur H. Moore Building

237-245 High Street NE

The Arthur H. Moore Building was built in 1924. Recent occupants include a shoe repair shop and Pocket Money payday loans & check cashing.

To continue, proceed to Part 3: Government Buildings, or jump to one of the other sections.

Part 1:

Historical Sites

Part 2:

Historic Downtown

Salem Links:

City of Salem

Salem Historic Landmarks Commission

Salem Online History

Oregon Historic Photograph Collections

Salem Historical Quarterly

Salem Oregon Community Guide

Oregon Department of Transportation Highway - Geo-Environmental Section: Architecture

Marion County Historical Society

Salem Historic Downtown Historic District Walking Tour by Virginia at Picasa Web Albums

Salem in Oregon History Walking Tour by TNji at Picasa Web Albums

Riverfront Park Walking Tour by TNji at Picasa Web Albums

Discover-Neighborhood-History

Salem Heritage Network

Friends of Two Bridges in Salem, Oregon

Also See:

PLACES - Milwaukie, Oregon

PLACES - Astoria, Oregon

PLACES - Oregon City, Oregon

PLACES - Lebanon, Oregon

PLACES - Rainier, Oregon

PLACES - Kelso-Longview, Washington

PLACES - Antique Powerland, Brooks, Oregon

PLACES - Evergreen Aviation Museum, McMinnville, Oregon

PORTLAND PLACES - Historic Belmont Firehouse

PORTLAND PLACES - Ankeny Square & Skidmore Fountain

PORTLAND PLACES - Tom McCall Waterfront Park

PORTLAND PLACES - Pioneer Courthouse Square

PORTLAND PLACES - Willamette Shore Trolley

PORTLAND PLACES - Oregon Convention Center

PORTLAND PLACES - Willamette River Bridges

PORTLAND PLACES - Brooklyn Roundhouse

PORTLAND PLACES - Council Crest Park

PORTLAND PLACES - Golf Junction

PORTLAND PLACES - Hoyt Street Yard & Lovejoy Columns

PORTLAND PLACES - Oaks Amusement Park

PORTLAND PLACES - South Waterfront & Aerial Tram

PORTLAND PLACES - Union Station

Northwest Railroad Depots

All website content, including graphics and pictures are © Robert D. West unless otherwise noted. Content is not to be used out of the context of this webpage without expressed permission. Any opinions expressed herein are mine and are not necessarily shared by the Milwaukee School of Engineering, or anyone else.

Questions? Comments? Critiques? Corrections? Concerns? Email me at westr@msoe.edu.