The Gray-Belle Building in Salem (top) and the Rose Apartments in Portland both used national historic tax credits to preserve affordable and create new housing and both are recipients of the 2021 DeMuro Awards. The biggest positive change to historic preservation tax credits in a generation could be within reach! Restore Oregon is partnering with the […]
Adventures in Concrete
By Brittany Hobbs After five and a half hours coasting north along I-5, I finally veered to the east. Past flat farmland and increasing forest density, I lost cell service about half an hour from my destination: Baker Lake Lodge, near Concrete, Washington. I turned to the Google Map I had printed out, reminiscing about […]
Historic Billy Webb Elks Lodge Devastated by Fire, Needs Help from Community
On Restore Oregon’s List of Most Endangered Places since 2020, the lodge has served the Albina neighborhood for close to a century In the early morning of September 11th, 2021, the Billy Webb Elks Lodge in North Portland’s Albina neighborhood suffered a devastating fire as a result of trespassers. The decking attached to the […]
Window Restoration with The National Trust
There is something magical about Astoria. I’ve been trying to put my finger on it…is it the abundance of beautiful old houses? The hospitality of the locals? The charming downtown? One thing I have recently come to notice and admire is the quality of the light. Through the clouds or reflected off of the river, […]
112 Year-Old Church in Northeast Portland Now Houses SteepleJack Brewing Co.
Beer lovers and preservationists rejoice! SteepleJack Brewing Co. owners Brody Day and Dustin Harder have lovingly restored the former First Universalist Church of Good Tidings at NE 24th and Broadway in Portland. Thanks to sensitive adaptive reuse, this century-old building retains many historic features including colorful stained glass windows, a historic bell tower, carefully restored […]
In a Precedent-Setting Decision, Demolition of the Historic Yamaguchi Hotel is Approved with a Token Nod to Cultural Heritage
The Portland City Council voted unanimously to approve the demolition of the historic Yamaguchi Hotel, also known as the former Blanchet House, picture above. On July 28th, the Portland City Council voted unanimously to approve the demolition of the historic Yamaguchi Hotel (former Blanchet House), a rare and very significant building to the Japanese American/AAPI […]
Historic Oregon Cemeteries by Abby Warren
If you like historic cemeteries and discovering the diverse history of our state, keep an eye on the Oregon Commission of Historic Cemeteries which is working to discover and share the stories of interesting Oregonians who have passed on. The Commission’s Cemetery Stories project aims to illustrate all the ways that cemeteries hold value and […]
Board Member Profile: Brett Estes
Brett Estes’ passion for historic preservation — and the City of Astoria — shine through in both the words he speaks and the stories he tells. Jovial and charismatic, he’s no rookie. He has spent over a decade serving in public office in Astoria, and started on his historic preservation journey long before that. Originally […]
Welcome Brittany Hobbs – Our Summer Intern
Restore Oregon is delighted to welcome our new intern, Brittany Hobbs, to the RO team! Midway through her coursework for a Master’s Degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Oregon, Brittany is relatively new to the preservation field. While she has been working to restore and preserve a 1893 Queen Anne Victorian home in […]
Something Old, Something New…
Sponsored post by Ariel Grace Design The Victorian Belle, built in 1885, was a marvel of modern amenities. It was one of the first houses in Portland, Oregon, to have running hot and cold water, central heating, interior electricity and a windmill-powered water pump. Since the 1990s, it has been operated as a wedding and […]