1510 Davidson St. SE, St. Paul's Rectory

A 1953 photograph of Fr. George H. Swift and his wife Alice shows them standing in front of the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Rectory when it was located at 540 Chemeketa St. NE. The church has moved and so has the rectory, now a private residence. None of the exterior features seem to have changed and the bright blue paint gives the bungalow a cheerful, contemporary appearance without forgetting its important place in our community’s past.

The Jarman House 567 High Street SE CAN-DO

This unique 1929 Spanish Colonial home was designed by Glen C. McAllister of Santa Monica. The gardens were designed by Lord and Schryver. Daniel P. Jarman, the original owner, was a J.C. Penney executive. The second owner, Louis Lachmund, was a prominent businessman and former mayor. (His previous Piety Hill home had been purchased and removed from its Court Street site by the state for the construction of the North Capitol Mall in 1938.) This residence is on the National Register of Historic Places.
An interesting historical note: this building replaced the home of John Hughes, well-known merchant whose daughter Lulu married A.N. Bush, the son of Asahel Bush. The Asahel Bush family lived lived just south of this location at their residence, now Bush House Museum.

Harding House 1043 High Street SE, CAN-DO

This Italianate residence was built in 1884 for lawyer, state legislator, and U.S. Senator Benjamin F. Harding (1823-1899) in what was then a suburb of Salem. The architect is speculated to be W. F. Boothby, also known for his designs of several of Salem's fine older downtown buildings. Jacob and Lou Amsler owned this house beginning in 1903. Jacob was an important employee of the Bush family, later acting as chauffeur and assistant for Miss Sally. His family owned several properties in early Salem. This house was accepted into the National Register on December 21, 1981.

South First National Bank, 241-247 Commercial Street NE, CAN-DO

South First National Bank Block of 1887 is shown here at right with awnings. Originally two buildings, changes in 1923 incorporated a central stairway for access to offices on the second floor. It is the only remaining building designed by Holly Cornell (1859-1911), a local architect who also designed the residences of Governor Zenas Moody and Werner Breyman ~ both now demolished. For many years, Benjamin Forstner and his family operated a store in the south section of the building. This building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Starkey-McCully Building 223-233 Commercial Street NE, CAN-DO

Only 70 feet of this 1867 Italianate Starkey-McCully Building building remain, the northern, two-story section of a five-story business block. The cast iron decoration is believed to be the oldest of its kind in Oregon. It was built by Asa McCully and John L. Starkey who had formed a partnership and moved to Oregon after their success in the California Gold Rush. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Chemeketa Lodge, Odd Fellows Hall and Annex, 181-195 High Street NE, CAN -DO

The original Richardson Romanesque design of this 1900 building included a central bell tower, now gone, but the integrity of the building remains. As the “Mother Lodge” in the Northwest of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, this site provided member benefits and community services. The theater closed in 1950, however renovation in the 1990s brought new life to this historic downtown intersection. (We thank the owner, Carole Smith, for the photograph above.)
The 1921 Central Stage Terminal and Hotel is Mediterranean style building, constructed by the Odd Fellows Fraternal Order. It had a restaurant entrance on the south, a hotel bus depot in the center and a store entrance to the north. The second floor contained offices and hotel accommodations. The Chemeketa Lodge utilized the hotel to finance their charitable activities. The buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Reed Opera House and McCornack Building 177-189 Liberty Street CAN-DO

The Reed Opera House, built in 1869-70, originally housed the Oregon Supreme Court and State Library on the third floor, a 1,500 seat auditorium on the second, and seven stores at street level, It closed in 1900 after the opening of the Grand Theater. The interior was redesigned in 1936 for Joseph Meyers and Sons (and later Miller’s) Department Store. It was renovated in 1976.
The McCornack Building was constructed in 1902 on the south wall of the Reed Opera House by the owner, E. P. McCornack, an addition intended as a furniture store. After twenty years, the stock was replaced and it became “Worth’s Department Store”. In the 1930s it was regarded as one of the best retail stores in Salem.
They are listed together on the National Register of Historic Places.