Oregon Historical
Society, Davies Family Research Library
Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97205
Phone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
E-mail: libreference@ohs.org
Mss
1525
Oregon Historical Society
Architecture collection
1873-2016
3 cubic feet
5 document cases, 3 oversize folders
Collection assembled by the Oregon
Historical Society primarily containing ephemera relating to architecture in
Oregon, with emphasis on Portland. Includes brochures on specific buildings,
booklets of sample house plans, and historical background on the Paulina Lake
(Or.) I.O.O.F. site.
Materials in the collection are inEnglish
Historical note
Since its founding in 1898, the Oregon Historical Society has
collected ephemera of all kinds, most of it documenting the history of Oregon
and the Pacific Northwest. In the mid-20th century, librarians at the Society
began organizing these materials into what became known as "Topical
Collections." One such collection, the Architecture Collection, collated
various items concerning buildings, architects, and related matters.
The Architecture Collection contains primarily ephemera related to
individual buildings, most of them in Portland. These materials include
brochures created either for sales promotion or for dedications of the finished
structures. Also included are materials relating to architectural firms and
organizations, historic preservation, building materials, sample plans for
houses, and architecture-related events. There is a large group of materials on
the history of the Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) camp site at Paulina Lake, Oregon;
and publicity for Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland. The collection also
contains blueprints for ferry boats crossing the Columbia River at Astoria,
1947, designed by the Albina Engine and Machine Works; and blueprints for
railroad cars, 1891-1928.
The collection is arranged in two series:
- Series A: Building files
- Series B: General files
The collection is open to the public.
The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the
Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication,
and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library
prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold
copyright to all the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission
for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the
copyright holders.
Architecture Collection, Mss 1525, Oregon Historical Society Research
Library
The collection was assembled from various sources by the Oregon
Historical Society
Materials are added to the collection from time to time.
The entire collection was reprocessed in 2009.
The Oregon Historical Society holds a significant collection of
blueprints and scale drawings of structures throughout Oregon, including
designs from the firms of Pietro Belluschi, Morris Whitehouse, A. E. Doyle,
Claussen & Claussen, and Jamieson Parker.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
International Order of Odd Fellows.
Oregon--Buildings, structure, etc.
Paulina
Lake (Or.)--Buildings, structure, etc.
Pioneer
Courthouse Square (Portland, Or.)
Portland
(Or.)--Buildings, structure, etc.
Architecture--Oregon
Architects--Oregon
Oregon
Portland
City and Town Life
Architecture
Architectural Drawings
Printed
ephemera
Architectural drawings
(visual works)
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
Series A
Buildings
1873-2009
All buildings are in Portland, Oregon and vicinity, unless
otherwise noted
1/1
Apartments and condominiums
circa 1970-2000
1/2
Commercial buildings, A-L
circa 1910-2000
Includes:
- Centennial Block remodel, circa 1990
- Emanuel Hospital Medical Building, circa 1970
- Equitable Center, circa 1965
- Fleisher Building, 1946
- Henry Building, circa 1910
- Hilton Hotel, circa 1963
1/3
Commercial buildings, M-Z
circa 1926-2009
Includes:
- Pacific Building, 1926
- Postal Building remodel, circa 1984
- Princeton Building (formerly Elks Temple), 1985
- Rocky Butte Jail
- Studio Building, circa 1927
1/4
Eliot Tower
2004-2005
1/5
First National Center
circa 1972
1/6
Justice Center
1984
1/7
KOIN Center (Fountain Place)
circa 1984
1/8
Ladd Tower
2006
2/1
Mount Angel Abbey Library (designed by Alvar
Aalto)--Dedication program
1970
Oversize folder 3
New Market Colonnade (copy of drawing of proposed
structure)
undated
2/2
New Market Theater remodel
1983
2/3
Non-Portland Buildings
1938-1986
undated
2/4
One, Pacific Square
1981-1982
2/5
Oregon Historical Society building--
Architecture/West
article
1967 July
2/6
Oregon State Capitol, Salem
1873-1988
undated
2/7
Pacwest Center
1983
2/8
Pioneer Courthouse renovation
1975-1977
2/9
Pioneer Courthouse Square (including design
competition)
circa 1980-1990
Oversize folder 3
Pioneer Courthouse Square--Fundraising
brochure
circa 1983
2/10
Portland Building (designed by Michael
Graves)
circa 1981-1982
2/11
Portland Historic Landmarks Commission
1977-1985
3/1
Portland Performing Arts Center (including Arlene
Schnitzer Concert Hall)
circa 1980-1990
Oversize folder 3
Portland Place (future Pioneer
Place)--Prospectus
1983
3/2
Standard Plaza (Standard Insurance Company)
circa 1970-1980
3/3-3/4
Street of Dreams (residential showcases)
1983-1997
3/5
Vista House Taskforce (Columbia Gorge)
1982
Oversize folder 3
Washington Square (shopping mall)
undated
Series B
General Files
1894-2008
4/1
American Institute of Architects, general
1964-1999
undated
4/2
American Institute of Architects--Meeting
minutes
1968-1979
4/3
American Society for Metals, Oregon
Chapter--Rosters
1965-1967
4/4
Architects and architectural firms
1894-2012
Includes Henneberry Eddy brochure, circa 2012
4/5
Builders and remodelers
1985
undate
See also Business Collection, Mss 1510.
4/6
Building directories, Portland
undated
4/7
Building materials
1913-1982
See also Business Collection, Mss 1510
Oversize folder 3
Demonstration homes for 1938 : especially
prepared for low income families (plans for small houses)
1938
Oversize folder 3
Estratto da l'architettura : cronache e
storia (Italian architecture magazine with artilce on Zimmer, Gunsul
Frasca firm of Portland)
circa 1968
4/8-4/9
Events--Building dedication invitations and
programs
1917-2005
Includes programs for dedication of the Portland Public
Auditorium, 1917; U.S. Courthouse, 1994
4/9
Events--Exhibitions and other programs
1909-2000
Includes program for Portland Architectural Club, second annual
exhibition, 1909
4/10
"Factors of value on new buildings" by Hiram U.
Welch--Booklet on assessment of Portland buildings, with pictures and data on
various houses and buildings
1926
5/1
"Fallout protection for homes with basements"
(pamphlet), U.S. Office of Civil Defense
1967
5/2
Historic Preservation League of Oregon
circa 1980-1990
5/3
Historic properties
1955-2008
undated
Oversize folder 3
Laurelhurst and its Park (original
publication and facsimile edition, Laurelhurst subdivision,
Portland)
1916
undated
5/4
National Trust for Historic Preservation--Brochures,
newsletter
1956-1980
5/5-5/9
Paulina Lake I.O.O.F. site--History and preservation
projects
1960-1982
Papers include history of the leasing and use of the site and
construction of the lodge, written by Oscar Larson, Past Noble Grand of Bend
Lodge, I.O.O.F.; "Assesment of Log Cabins and Lodge on Paulina Lake, Deschutes
National Forest," by Mazama Conservation Committee, 1980; "Addendum to
Evaluation Report" on site and structures by E. Gail Throop, Forest Service
historian, 1981; affidavit of Palmer Byrkit, evaluating the lodge and cabins,
1982, for Paulina Lake Historic Cabin Owners Association v. U.S.D.A. Forest
Service; and complaint and motion for preliminary injunction, 1982, for Paulina
Lake Historical Cabin Owners Association v. U.S.D.A. Forest Service. See also
Org. Lot 526, Oregon Historical Society Research Library, for photographs.
Plans and scale drawings
5/10
Farm buildings (Mid-West Farm Building Plan Service,
University of Wisconsin)
circa 1938
Oversize Folder 1
Ferry boats
1947
Blueprints for ferry boats used on the Columbia River at
Astoria, constructed by the Albina Engine and Machine Works.
Oversize Folder 2
Railroad cars
1881-1928
Blueprints for railroad cars. Includes:
- New York Central and Hudson River car, side view,
1891
- Southern Pacific coach, 1927
- Southern Pacific club car, 1922
- Southern Pacific locomotive, 1922
- Southern Pacific diner, 1925
- Southern Pacific observation car, circa 1914
- Southern Pacific water tanker, undated
5/11
Residential
circa 1920-1980
Includes "100 modern home plans selected for building economy"
by Residential Plan Service, Portland, 1957. See also Business Collection, Mss
1510.
5/12
Propery sales, residential
1998-2005
5/13
Public art
1980-1987
5/14
Residential design-- "Atomic Ranch"
circa 2007
5/15
Residential design--
Green & solar homes of
Oregon
2003
5/16
Society of Architectural Historians
circa 1970-1990
5/17
Uban planning and design
1979-1987
5/18
Walking tours of Portland
1976-1992
undated