A Court Street View
The G. W. Gray Cottage (ca. 1870), at 1309 Court Street was constructed by James Joseph and sold to George Collins in 1882, to the Burnaps and then to George Gray in 1885 for $1,600. Jennie Gray Kyle sold the property to Daniel Crouse in 1904. After 1928, the next buyers rented the house until it came to Lucille Richardson in 1971.
The Constable House at 1337 Court Street (c. 1906 Craftsman) replaces an earlier dwelling, built on the lot in the 1870's, and may incorporate elements of the original dwelling probably built by James Joseph. In 1902 it was sold to Charles O. and Sarah E. Constable for the amount of $1,650.
Court Street looking east from the Constable House in summertime.
The Barquist House, 1363 Court Street (Queen Anne/Eastlake, c.1895) This house was built at 14th and Mission streets by Archibald Crosby. From 1927 to 1967, it was owned and occupied by Carmelita Barquist, a popular high school biology teacher. Roy and Hazel Patton moved the house to this location in 1989.
The Buchner House at 1410 Court Street (Craftsman Bungalow, 1914) was owned by Walter Buchner who grew hops and established a feed store and mill. The family sold the house in 1942. In the early 1990s, after the house had fallen into disrepair and been the victim of a firebombing, the neighborhood purchased and renovated it.
The Lewis and Ila Griffith House at 1456 Court Street (Craftsman, 1909) remains in the family. The remodel of the residence by their son, John S. Griffith, the present owner, was featured in the Sunset magazine in October of 1967.
The Griffith house at 1467 Court Street (Colonial Revival, c.1895) was built by John C. and Kate Dalrymple Griffith. Their son Lewis and wife Ila Spaulding lived directly across the street and her sister Beulah Spaulding Mills lived next door.
The Mills House at 1474 Court Street (Craftsman, 1909) was designed by Jefferson Pooler. It was a wedding present in 1910 from her father when Beulah Spaulding married Roy Mills. They lived there until 1943. It was sold several times until it returned to the Spaulding-Griffith family after 1968.
The Kapphaln House, 1498 Court Street (Colonial Bungalow, 1925) Earnest and "Lillis" Kapphaln bought the land in 1919, but the house was not built until 1925. The widow lived there with her two children, Pearl and Willard, who were clerks at the family-owned Peter Pan Confectionery.
The Frizzel House, 1518 Court Street was originally a Rural Gothic house of the 1870’s moved to this location after 1914. In 1934, Ronald and Priscilla Frizzell purchased the house and redesigned it in the Georgian style to approximate a drawing of the Raoul Walsh estate in California. It was featured in the March, 1934 American Home Magazine.
This Ashby-Durbin House at 1517 Court Street (Queen Anne/Eastlake, 1892), was designed by architect Charles H. Burggraf in 1892. Originally owned by Howard Ashby,it was sold to Frank Durbin in 1898. In 1927 the Durbins divided their lot, selling this house to Thomas Roen. In 1944 the house was sold to Dr. Crothers.
This is the former Ashby-Durbin coach house at 248 15th Street. In 1927 the Ashbys sold this structure, remodeled as a residence, to Clara Patterson Durbin.
The Collins-Busick House (1926, Norman Farmhouse) at 1534 Court Street was built by Fay and Pearl Collins. In 1943 they sold it to Harold T. and Savilla Busick. Howard Busick was a Salem grocer for more than forty years, a partner in a grocery store at 197 Commercial Street NE, founded by his father, J. L. Busick in 1918.
The Anderson House at 1577 Court Street (Colonial, 1928) was the home of William and Nora Anderson. He was the owner of a prominent downtown sporting goods store (now restored to ts original appearance as the Electric Building on Liberty Street) . She was a local philanthropist (a widow when she died in 1969) in whose honor the Anderson room is named in the 1972 Salem Public Library.
The Robertson-McLaughlin House, 1596-98 Court Street (Vernacular, c. 1875). In 1918 J. N.and Mariah Robertson bought this house which they had previously rented. In 1940 their daughter Grace married Russell McLaughlin. She lived there until her death in 1982, the family having occupied the house for 64 years. Directly behind it is the Spayd cottage which stood where the Anderson House is now.
The Scott House at 1625 Court Street (English Cottage, c.1930) is one of the variations of this style in residential architecture that were popular 1910-1935. This picturesque home of William and Gertrude Scott until 1950, is a reminder of arts and literature in the period when it was built.
The Alvin Waller House, 1658 Court Street (Rural Gothic, c.1860) This is the earliest home now in the District. Moved twice, it was the home of Alvin Waller, a pioneer Methodist minister and supporter of the school that became Willamette University. He raised funds and oversaw construction of the First Methodist Church. The house was remodeled in 1982 by present owners Bonnie and Roger Hull.
The Steeves House at 1694 Court Street (Dutch Colonial), was built in 1926 by B. L. and Sarah Steeves. Dr. Steeves died in 1933 and Mrs.Steeves in 1939. The house was purchased by 1939 by Keith Powell who sold it to Mary Steeves Paulson in 1943, who lived there in 1986. The lawn and trees of this beautiful house were lost when 17th Street was widened in the 1960’s. The house continued to be owned by the family into the second generation. The house next door at 1674 Court Street was built for the Steeves daughter, Muriel, and was occupied by her family until 1960.
The Schramm House at 165 17th Street (Colonial Revival/Craftsman, c. 1895) is on the site once occupied by the Oregon Supreme Court. It was moved in about 1916 and was occupied by the Weller family from that date until 1942. Sold to Alfred and Lucille Schramm, it was modernized by the prominent Oregon architect, Pietro Belluschi. It was occupied by the family until 1989.
In 1911, 1726 Court Street was built as the home of Walter and Nettie Spaulding. His parents had purchased three houses on Court Street for their children as they married. In 1923 it was the scene of the marriage of Linus Pauling to a relative of Mrs. Spaulding. Nettie lived there until 1981.
The Wiggins House at 1759 Court Street (Vernacular Queen Anne, c.1895) was sold to Robert Wiggins in 1903. His son Fred, who ran a farm implement store, and who sold the first automobile in Salem, married Myra Albert Wiggins, of the pioneer Holman family. She became a internationally known artist and photographer. A Wiggins niece lived there until 1972 when the house was purchased by John and Mary Wilkersons. It has been significantly altered with front porch added.
The Presbyterian Manse, 210 18th Street (Colonial, 1926) was originally the Manse of the First Presbyterian Church. The first pastor to occupy the house (1921-25) was the Rev. Ward Willis Long and his wife, Evangeline. Their daughter was born there. It was moved to this address in 1960 when the church was relocated because of the expansion of the North Capitol Mall.
The Third Simpson Cottage, 1880 Court Street (Queen Anne, c.1890), was built by David and Julia Simpson who owned the entire parcel bounded by Court, 18th, State and Mill Streets. They built this cottage and two others (#64 and #65) soon after the Queen Anne Addition was laid out in 1889. Their own home was located at 18th and State. These cottages were sold soon after their construction and have changed owners many times.
The Chemeketa Street Evangelical Church, 270 17th Street (Gothic Revival, 1894), conducted services in this sanctuary until 1929. Used by the Salem Mennonite and LDS Reorganized churches, it became vacant in the 1970’s. #90 was the church parsonage. After 1989, the church interior was remodeled and now serves as a residence.
The Little Gem, 1699 Chemeketa Street (1925), once stood in the front yard of this residence. Moved due to the remodeling of the house, the former neighborhood grocery store is now at A.C. Gilbert Discovery Village.
This street is interesting for the irregularity of the property line: some having another lot behind the house facing the street, others having Mill Creek at their back door. The Henry House, 1661 Chemeketa Street (Craftsman bungalow, 1913), was built by Worth W. and Effie M. Henry. They sold the house to Frank E. and Ida Brown in 1919. There is another lot between the house and the creek.
The Joseph Schindler House, 1623 Chemeketa Street (Vernacular Queen Anne, 1902), was built for Joseph Schindler, a German immigrant who had arrived in Salem in 1878 knowing no English. He became a successful blacksmith. With his family of wife Mary (Alma) and two children, he lived here until 1926 and owned the property until 1930.
The Elizabeth Watt House at 1568 Chemeketa Street (1904 Colonial Revival) replaced an earlier structure whose original carriage house stands on the southeast corner of the lot. After Miss Watt 's death in 1925, the property was the subject of a lawsuit before it could be restored to her heirs. The house came into possession of Garland E. Hollowell in 1936. He lived in the house for 31 years and was known for his beautiful lawn and garden.
The Abrams House at 1547 Chemeketa Street (Craftsman, 1910) is an example of a residence with the creek directly behind the structure. One of the several houses in the district built by Jefferson Pooler, it was occupied by the builder until 1920. It was purchased by Carle and Myrtle Abrams in 1924. They built the bridge connecting the house to its"back yard". This family lived in the house until 1972.
James and Flora Watt House at 1490 Chemeketa Street (1892 Queen Anne/Eastlake) stands on land originally owned by James Watt's father, Joseph, whose holdings had been subdivided in 1871. In 1887, James Watt acquired from his family this lot. The house built for $2500 in 1892.
The Clements House at 360 14th Street (Colonial Georgian, designed by Clarence Smith in 1923) was owned by Dr. Harvey Clements and the property remained in the family until 1945. It is now remodeled for Willamette University student housing. Note: the first bridge crossing Mill Creek was constructed here in the earliest days of settlement. The pioneer Holman family lived here in their log cabin in the early 1840’s.
The Graham Cottage at 1440 Chemeketa Street (Vernacular, c.1881) is a modified example of the West Coast Hipped Roof Cottage. Moved to its present site in 1905 by Dr. William Byrd when he moved his own house to the property, it had originally been built and owned by Ethan A. Graham, a carpenter. His wife Mary sold the property to Dr. Byrd.
The last house on our tour is the Collins- Byrd House, 296 14th Street (Queen Anne/Eastlake,1887) was built at 197 Court Street by George Collins a brick manufacturer and first Warden of the Oregon State Penitentiary. A few years later it was bought by Dr. William H. Byrd who moved the house in 1905. He gave it to his son Clarence in 1921 as a wedding present. His daughter Winifred Byrd became an internationally acclaimed musician. A granddaughter, Martha Byrd Blau lived in the house for many years. It has recently been painted and now presents a different appearance in a distinct blue.
