Alameda Old House History is a blog dedicated to collecting and sharing knowledge about the life of old houses in Portland, Oregon, with a special focus on Northeast Portland’s Alameda neighborhood.
The basic notion of this blog is that insight about the past adds new meaning to the present.
Alameda Elementary School in 1923, two years after its construction. View is looking southeast from NE 27th and Fremont. A detail from OHS image OrHi 105623.
The site is run by old house researcher and Alameda neighborhood historian Doug Decker who is available to research your home, or to provide you with ideas and resources for you to do the research yourself. Doug is a contributing writer for the Alameda Newsletter and is always on the lookout for the next history story.
Consider yourself invited to participate by sharing your comments, observations, photos, questions and discussion about neighborhood and old house history.
November 30, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Im trying to research the architect of our home for a story in Oregon Home. Ive been to the city and cany find any microfiche to help us.Any records or history you can help us with would be great. Our home is 3025 NE Dunckley St. Built in 1939
December 1, 2007 at 7:12 am
I’ll drop you a note with some research suggestions. I’m confident information about your home builder and architect are out there…just need to look in the right places.
March 5, 2008 at 7:29 pm
It is so funny that I saw your letter in the Hollywood Star today because I’ve been trying to do research on my neighborhood all day. Do you have any information on houses in the Grant Park neighborhood? We do not have a historical house (it’s from the 1920’s, but not too charmin– on 35th ave, near the park) but I love to look at old photographs. In fact, I was at the historical society today and couldn’t find any photos of this neighborhood listed under Grant Park or Hollyrood. There were a few of the high school.
March 5, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Hi Liz. Thanks for dropping by. The Hollywood, Grant Park and Alameda neighborhood photo files at OHS are indeed extremely thin. I have researched several houses in the Grant Park/Dolph Park area and have a few photos of specific homes. I’m sure there are photos out there in personal collections, but finding them will take some digging. I’ve posted some ideas about places to begin your old house research on the “resources” page of my blog (and there’s a link to some great resources compiled by the Multnomah County Library). Drop me an e-mail note if there’s something I can do to help.
March 8, 2008 at 10:25 am
I am in Portland today and I promised to call you last Saturday. I intended to call you today but did not bring your telephone number with me. Hopefully you can give me a call. Many thanks in helping me to find my Baptismal Certificate.
John Golden
March 8, 2008 at 6:42 pm
John, I’m glad my detective work on the Alameda Park Community Church led to finding a copy of your baptismal certificate. I look forward to talking with you when you get a chance.
-Doug
May 18, 2008 at 8:47 am
Hi Doug!
I am so pleased to find your blog and have whiled away plenty of time reading it and following the helpful links.
Hubby and I are in the process of buying a house on Hamblet. Once we get settled in, I hope to do some research on the history of the house.
So far, all I know about the house, I learned from the Oregon Historical Society website. According to OHS, Joseph Jacobberger designed it, and it was owned (at least in the late 1920s) by William E. Bushong.
I am excited to learn more about the house where we plan to spend many a long year. You’ll be hearing more from me!
May 19, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Hi Gilion. You have a cool blog too. Wow, you are a reader. Hoping Janet Ore is on your list.
I know the house on Hamblet (and knew the family that most recently occupied it). I have a jpg copy of a newspaper photo and story about your soon-to-be house from the December 22, 1912 Oregonian. I will e-mail it to you. Welcome to the neighborhood!