Our big, beautiful state is full of irreplaceable historic resources
that need thoughtful preservation or repurposing
to be passed forward to future generations.
Your donation helps fuel essential Field Services work
to save Oregon’s Endangered Places.

Preservation Roundtable

In 2011, the HPLO tackled the topic of Compatible Infill Design for the annual Preservation Roundtable. We held three workshops — Ashland, The Dalles, and Portland — and conducted an online survey, incorporating over 200 perspectives into a special report on the topic (available here). The 2012 Roundtable will focus on Oregon’s Masonry Buildings, with workshops in Jacksonville and Astoria planned for the spring months.

Preservation 101

We presented 18 public programs in 2011, five of which were “Preservation 101: This Place Matters.” From Pendleton to Klamath Falls to Redmond, people got a crash course on the history of the movement, tools available for rehabilitation, and best practices. Your donation will help keep the show on the road in 2012, bringing “How to Save an Endangered Place” to small communities like Burns, Heppner, Lakeview, and Vale.

Egyptian Theater

The 1925 Egyptian Theater is a cornerstone of downtown Coos Bay. Although the building was recently listed to the National Register of Historic Places, the Theater was shuttered in March because of seismic fears. The HPLO delivered “Historic Preservation 101” in July to support strategic planning for the theater and we anticipate continuing our technical assistance into 2012.

Dr. Pierce’s Barn

Oregon’s highways once featured an impressive number of advertising barns. Today only a few remain. Dr. Pierce’s Barn in Cottage Grove is a community landmark whose future is uncertain thanks to an active demolition permit. The HPLO worked closely with citizens in Cottage Grove to champion an advocacy campaign and better plan for the city’s historic resources; however, the barn’s fate is still uncertain.

Civic Stadium

Although the beloved National Register-listed Civic Stadium was slated for demolition when the Most Endangered Places list was announced, today a compromise is being crafted that would keep the site preserved and in-use. HPLO staff has written letters, delivered verbal testimony, gotten dirty at site clean-ups, and will soon allocate grant money for much-needed conceptual drawings.

Watson Price Barn

The 1848 Watson Prince Barn is one of the oldest in Oregon. Although the Barn is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, it is in dire need of stabilization. In August, we invited members and friends of the HPLO to tour the property and today we are working closely with the University of Oregon Historic Preservation Program to document the structure and prepare a plan for its stabilization.

Tillamook Bay Life-Saving Station

Built in 1908, the Tillamook Bay Life-Saving Station is the only extant station left in Oregon dating to the Life-Saving Service era (the predecessor of the Coast Guard). Although the building has sat vacant for nearly two decades, this year the HPLO has worked closely with the property owner and local advocates to offer building tours, technical advice, and a strategy for designating and bringing back to life this important piece of maritime history.

Ermatinger House

Buildings in Oregon don’t get much older than 1845, the year in which the Ermatinger House was constructed. Although the building had operated as a house museum since the 1980s, the structure has shifted and has been classified as unsafe and at risk of collapse. With the HPLO’s help, Oregon City has raised enough grant money to begin the early phases of rehabilitation, but there is still much work to be done.

Burnett House

The 1860 Lucy and Josiah Burnett House represents the type of vernacular settlement era house that once dotted the Willamette Valley. With a dwindling number remaining, the Burnett House is in need of rehabilitation for it to survive into the future. Thanks to support from the Kinsman Foundation, we anticipate offering a small grant to support the restoration of the house’s original doors and windows.

Baker City Middle School

Opened in 1917, the School was designed by architect Ellis Lawrence, a prominent leader of the Arts and Crafts movement in Oregon. The building is a significant landmark in Baker City, but has sat vacant for several years with no plan for rehabilitation or reuse. HPLO efforts have included a program on Adaptive Reuse of Historic Schools and assistance with forming a “friends of” group for the school.

Petersen Rock Garden

There aren’t many places like Petersen Rock Garden in Oregon. Constructed from the 1930s to the 1950s, this midcentury roadside attraction features castles, ponds, bridges, and villages made out of native Central Oregon rocks. With deferred maintenance mounting, the HPLO is working to develop a strategy for passing the property forward, including listing it in the National Register of Historic Places.

Whited Farmstead

The Whited Farmstead is one of the oldest properties in Redmond, dating back to before the town was incorporated. The dry stack masonry barn is especially unique today, juxtaposed against the expanding suburban development within Redmond’s urban growth boundary. The property owners have been stewards of the property and are now committed to seeing it preserved into the future.