319:. That building and its wooden predecessor were referred to as the Oregonian Building, during their periods as the newspaper's headquarters, and this pattern continued with successor buildings. In 1890, the Oregonian Publishing Company began construction of a much larger headquarters building, to accommodate the paper's continuing expansion. The new Oregonian Building was located at the intersection of Southwest Sixth and Alder streets, northwest corner. The building's nine-story main portion was 134 ft (41 m) high, but extending for another 60 feet above was a tower with a smaller floor area and a large clock (with faces on all four sides) above the 11th floor. The building's overall height of 194 ft (59 m) made it the tallest structure in Portland, a distinction it retained until the completion of the
405:
401:, were installed in the building's basement, so there was no need to relocate the presses from the old location. After completion of the building, some of the space was made available for lease to other businesses. Tenants included a drug store, a shoe store, a tailor, an optical store and a barber shop, along with offices of professional firms such as the Equitable Life Assurance Company. When the building opened, its site was well west of the central business district, but within a few decades, expansion of downtown had shifted the center westwards.
31:
304:, was acquired by the paper in 1933, and joined KGW in new, shared studios in the Oregonian Building. A fire in 1943 forced the radio stations to relocate. The company sold the building in December 1947 as it prepared for a move to a larger building. In June 1948, the newspaper moved to a new building on Southwest Broadway, also called the Oregonian Building. The 1892 building with the landmark clock tower then stood vacant for about two years until it was demolished, in 1950.
47:
54:
530:
The building and land were sold in
December 1947 for $ 800,000 (equivalent to $ 27.1 million in 2023), to a Los Angeles-based commercial investment and development company, Store Properties, Inc. However, after the newspaper and other tenants moved out, the building remained vacant, and in 1950
392:
The newspaper moved most of its staff into the new building in mid-January 1892, but with some departments using temporary locations within the building, as the interior was not finished until a few months later, and the last work on the uppermost floors was not completed until 1893. New, more
518:
The new
Oregonian Building of 1948 was located seven blocks south of the old one, facing Southwest Broadway and filling an entire city block bounded by Broadway, Jefferson and Columbia Streets, and 6th Avenue. Twenty-two years earlier, the mansion home of prominent Portland businessman and former
480:
were attached to the 60-foot flagpole atop the building's roof, but later the same year, the station upgraded its signal with larger, more powerful equipment. In
October, an 86-foot-tall (26 m) antenna tower was erected atop the tower of the building, and a 98-foot-tall (30 m) tower was
497:
at the time. The broadcast studios were destroyed in a fire in 1943. Both stations relocated to other buildings, except for the transmitter. They never returned to the old
Oregonian Building, although in 1948 KGW, which was still owned by the paper at that time, did return to
514:
had again outgrown its space, and the company began planning for a new building in 1944. As with the 1892 move, this relocation also afforded the opportunity to upgrade to a newer model of printing press, a higher-capacity one made by R. Hoe & Company.
295:
constructed in the
Western U.S., and from its opening until 1911 it was the tallest building in Portland. In addition to the newspaper's offices and printing press, in 1922 the building became the home of Portland's first commercial radio station,
492:
and moved it to the
Oregonian Building in 1934. At the time, it was the most powerful radio station in Oregon, broadcasting at 5,000 Watts. It moved into the 7th floor, sharing space with KGW. Both stations were affiliated with
875:, p. 1. Excerpt: "The clock in the tower of the old Oregonian Building, a landmark in Portland since 1892, stopped at 12:30 p.m. Friday—and it won't be started again in that location, the building's new owners said".
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measuring 90 ft (27 m) tall by 11.5 ft (3.5 m) wide and reading "The
Oregonian" was attached to the building, on the corner at Sixth and Alder streets. The sign's manufacturer,
444:
A jewelry store, Jaeger
Brothers, that had occupied a portion of the ground floor was displaced in the early 1920s when the newspaper needed room for a new three-story printing press made by
523:
had occupied the site, until demolished in 1926. The newspaper staff moved to the new building in June 1948, and the new printing press was brought into use on June 7, 1948. There were 842
527:
employees working in the old building at the time of the move to the new quarters on
Broadway. The old Oregonian Building's large clock was turned off on July 30, 1948, never to resume.
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In 1892, the newspaper's circulation was only 13,000 for the daily edition, 16,000 on
Sundays, but by 1940 daily circulation had grown to 138,472 on weekdays and 167,210 on Sundays.
485:, and KGW's antenna was attached to a cable connecting the two rooftop towers. In February 1926, KGW moved from the 11th floor into larger studios built on the 7th and 8th floors.
1121:
Smith, Virgil (July 18, 1948). "KGW Returns Home – And What A Home! Soundproof and Vibrationless Quarters Occupied in New Oregonian Building By Long-Absent Broadcasting Station".
757:
Lundy, Herbert (May 30, 1948). "Years Write '30' At 6th & Alder; Growing City, Mushroomed Operations Force Retirement as Printing Plant of Oregonian's 56-Year-Old Building".
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its new owners decided to raze it. Demolition took six months and was completed in November 1950. In 1951, a two-story retail-commercial building was constructed on the site.
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331:" when built. Its footprint was 100 by 100 feet (30 m × 30 m), and it contained roughly 100,000 square feet (9,300 m) of floor space, including the
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was on the 13th floor, above the large clock. The first test broadcast was made on March 23, 1922, and regular broadcasting began on March 25. Initially, the
438:
542:. It was still in OMSI's collection in January 2019, but had recently (in December 2018) been removed from longtime display in the museum's Turbine Hall.
606:
How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda
136:
437:, and that paper was published from the 1892 building until the company sold it in 1914 to Wheeler Brothers. The Oregonian Building lost its status as
1279:
914:"Building Activity: Fine Structures Built in 1892; Record for Ten Months–'The Oregonian's' New Home, Work on New City Hall". (November 4, 1892).
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began publication in 1850, and in 1878 its office and printing facilities moved to a then-new brick building at the intersection of Front and
46:
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Oregonian Building, as it was given studios in the then-new building – of the same name – that replaced the 1892 landmark.
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How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States
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to own and operate its own radio station. The broadcast studios were located on the 11th floor, in the building's tower, and the
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In 1922, the Oregonian Publishing Company launched Portland's first commercial radio station to feature regular broadcasting,
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and used it as a teaching tool, but by the late 1950s the clock had returned to Portland and joined the collection of the
943:"Hoover, Helen (April 15, 1951). "You Say Portland Climate Undergoing Change? Weather Tables Present Contrary Argument".
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890:"Rare tower clock needs new home; The 1892 relic, known as the No. 4 striker, is leaving its longtime exhibit at OMSI"
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was located in the building's tower, and was the first occupant of that portion of the Oregonian Building.
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855:"Will Soon Move; 'The Oregonian' to Be Issued in a Few Days From the New Building". (January 2, 1892).
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723:
A Landmark Vanished; Demolition of old 'Oregonian' Building, Erected in 1850". (September 25, 1887).
30:
580:"Oregonian Building Said Most Fireproof On Coast, Ahead of Its Time, When Built". (October 5, 1947).
930:"The 'Oregonian' Moves; Now Located in Temporary Quarters in the New Building". (January 16, 1892).
456:, of Los Angeles, expressed the belief that it was the largest of its kind in the U.S. at the time.
389:, and the interior made extensive use of Italian white marble on the first floor and main stairway.
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1161:"New Press Turns Out Oregonians; Editorial Staff, Composing Room Complete Move". (June 7, 1948).
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covered the stories above. The main entrance, on Alder Street, was finished in light-rose
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with balconies", where the bells for the clock were located. The clock was made by
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showing the building with the 90-foot-tall neon sign that was added in 1930
1180:
The Growth of A City: Power and Politics in Portland, Oregon, 1915 to 1950
956:"Large, Flashing Neon Sign To Advertise The Oregonian". (July 30, 1930).
489:
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in 1911, when the 198-foot-tall (60 m) Yeon Building was completed.
332:
301:
842:
Scott, Jess (April 1, 1973). "Drive aimed at preserving St. Patrick's".
815:
Icons of American Architecture: From the Alamo to the World Trade Center
672:
408:
The downtown skyline in 1898, with the Oregonian Building in the center
328:
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The large clock in the tower was sold to an engineer who moved it to
386:
986:"Powerful Radio To Serve 100,000; The Oregonian New Plant Completed"
403:
378:
781:
The American Skyscraper, 1850–1940: A Celebration of Height
494:
1182:. Portland, Oregon: The Georgian Press Company. p. 310.
1095:"Oregonian Acquires Radio Station KEX". (September 1, 1933).
370:
and cost $ 1,845. The first two stories were surfaced in red
1108:"Blaze Hits Oregonian Top Floors". (September 24, 1943).
871:
Ewing, Paul F. (July 31, 1948). "Clock Wins Hands Down".
972:"KGW To Celebrate Tenth Anniversary". (March 20, 1932).
420:
for Portland was located in the Oregonian Building. The
1305:
Demolished buildings and structures in Portland, Oregon
187:$ 690,000 (equivalent to $ 23.4 million in 2023)
1237:"Building Gone From Old Site". (November 19, 1950).
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784:. Wellesley, Massachusetts: Branden Books. p.
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1224:"Old Building May Be Razed". (December 23, 1949).
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676:. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.
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488:In 1933, the newspaper acquired radio station
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552:List of tallest buildings in Portland, Oregon
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1315:Newspaper headquarters in the United States
1285:Buildings and structures demolished in 1950
235:Approx. 100,000 square feet (9,300 m)
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1325:Romanesque Revival architecture in Oregon
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18:Primarily office in Oregon, United States
431:newspaper, the Oregonian also owned the
1029:"The Oregonian Test of Radio Makes Hit"
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763:, Sunday Magazine section, pp. 1, 4, 5.
642:"Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–"
562:
412:From October 1892 until June 1902, the
291:, from 1892 to 1948. It was the first
1300:Commercial buildings completed in 1892
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1045:"Radio Is Installed By The Oregonian"
888:Crombie, Noelle (January 28, 2019) .
640:Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
540:Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
468:. It was the first newspaper on the
362:style. Above the clock was "an open
7:
483:Northwestern National Bank Building
1203:The Press: Moving Time in Portland
14:
708:"Yeon Skyscraper Starts March 10"
35:The Oregonian Building circa 1912
1280:1950 disestablishments in Oregon
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454:Electrical Products Corporation
374:(from Flagstaff, Arizona), and
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414:U.S. Department of Agriculture
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1270:1892 establishments in Oregon
338:The building was designed by
1139:Oregonian Plans For New Home
668:"Emporis building ID 198976"
634:American Antiquarian Society
614:American Antiquarian Society
106:537 SW 6th Ave. (new system)
1310:History of Portland, Oregon
439:Portland's tallest building
323:in 1911. It was "the first
104:135 SW 6th St. (old system)
1351:
1008:"KGW [history of]"
820:Greenwood Publishing Group
1320:Reid & Reid buildings
1125:, Magazine section, p. 5.
846:, "SunDAY" section, p. 4.
812:Langmead, Donald (2009).
778:Korom, Joseph J. (2008).
686:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
418:weather recording station
283:downtown Portland, Oregon
40:
28:
481:erected atop the nearby
360:Richardsonian Romanesque
152:45.519992°N 122.678415°W
1213:(subscription required)
988:. (November 19, 1922).
506:Vacation and demolition
308:History and description
248:Design and construction
1295:Clock towers in Oregon
1079:. (October 29, 1922).
710:. (February 6, 1910).
409:
279:The Oregonian Building
227:13 (9 in main portion)
219:Brick over steel frame
157:45.519992; -122.678415
24:The Oregonian Building
1147:(Bend, Oregon), p. 1.
1097:The Morning Oregonian
1063:. (October 8, 1922).
1033:The Morning Oregonian
932:The Morning Oregonian
916:The Morning Oregonian
857:The Morning Oregonian
429:The Morning Oregonian
407:
293:steel-framed building
1254:Mid-1940s photograph
1239:The Sunday Oregonian
1137:(January 29, 1944).
1123:The Sunday Oregonian
1081:The Sunday Oregonian
1077:"Radio Towers Built"
1065:The Sunday Oregonian
1049:The Sunday Oregonian
1047:. (March 19, 1922).
1031:. (March 24, 1922).
990:The Sunday Oregonian
974:The Sunday Oregonian
945:The Sunday Oregonian
844:The Sunday Oregonian
760:The Sunday Oregonian
725:The Sunday Oregonian
712:The Sunday Oregonian
583:The Sunday Oregonian
536:Oregon State College
399:R. Hoe & Company
206:194 feet (59 m)
1205:. (June 21, 1948).
1176:MacColl, E. Kimbark
1083:, Section 1, p. 14.
947:, Section 1, p. 31.
800:Oregonian Building.
714:, Section 4, p. 12.
422:U.S. Weather Bureau
368:E. Howard & Co.
335:but not the tower.
327:skyscraper west of
148: /
91:Architectural style
67:General information
1275:Former skyscrapers
1067:, Section 5, p. 6.
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358:, with touches of
356:Romanesque Revival
281:was a building in
198:Publishing Company
95:Romanesque Revival
460:KGW and KEX radio
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267:Architecture firm
211:Technical details
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896:. p. A1
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645:. Retrieved
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466:KGW (620 AM)
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416:'s official
411:
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337:
325:steel-framed
312:
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278:
277:
253:Architect(s)
111:Town or city
15:
618:1700–1799:
598:1634–1699:
474:transmitter
383:terra cotta
224:Floor count
155: /
143:122°40′42″W
130:Coordinates
1264:Categories
558:References
470:West Coast
397:, made by
232:Floor area
176:Demolished
140:45°31′12″N
83:Primarily
75:Demolished
525:Oregonian
450:neon sign
372:sandstone
346:, of the
1241:, p. 18.
1178:(1979).
682:cite web
623:(1992).
603:(1997).
586:, p. 16.
546:See also
333:basement
216:Material
101:Location
1228:, p. 1.
1165:, p. 1.
1112:, p. 1.
1099:, p. 1.
1051:, p. 1.
1035:, p. 5.
1014:May 25,
992:, p. 1.
976:, p. 1.
960:, p. 5.
934:, p. 5.
918:, p. 8.
859:, p. 6.
727:, p. 2.
673:Emporis
478:aerials
393:modern
329:Chicago
121:Country
1186:
826:
792:
519:mayor
387:marble
364:belfry
350:firm.
203:Height
168:Opened
85:office
72:Status
630:(PDF)
610:(PDF)
379:brick
192:Owner
1208:Time
1184:ISBN
1016:2014
902:2019
824:ISBN
790:ISBN
688:link
649:2024
446:Goss
381:and
376:buff
342:and
259:and
184:Cost
179:1950
171:1892
80:Type
1141:.
786:172
495:NBC
490:KEX
302:KEX
298:KGW
1266::
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243:2
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