F. M. Knight Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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F. M. Knight Building
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The Knight Building in 2011
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| Location | 3300 SE Belmont Street Portland, Oregon |
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| Area | 50 by 60 feet (15 by 18 m) |
| Built | about 1890 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| MPS | Portland Eastside |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000086 |
| Added to NRHP | March 8, 1989 |
The F. M. Knight Building is a historic two-story building in southeast Portland, Oregon. It was built around 1890 in a style called Italianate. This special building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's recognized for its important history and design. It was added to this list in 1989.
This building is made of wood and was built in the late 1800s. It was made for shops and businesses to serve the Sunnyside neighborhood. The building is about 50 feet wide and 60 feet long.
Its front (north) side has a decorative top edge called a cornice. There is also a tall wall above the roof called a parapet, which sticks out about 3 feet. On the second floor, the front has a set of two windows in the middle. On each side of these windows are two bay windows, which are windows that stick out from the building. Each bay window has three separate windows. On the first floor, facing Belmont Street, there are three doors and four large display windows. The door in the middle leads to stairs that go up to the second floor.
History of the Knight Building
Southeast Portland grew very quickly between 1883 and 1910. This happened after new bridges were built across the Willamette River. These bridges connected the city's west side with areas that didn't have many people. Early streetcar routes were built heading east from these bridges. One of these routes followed Belmont Street.
The Sunnyside neighborhood was planned by the Sunnyside Land and Improvement Company in 1888. It was the first neighborhood built along an eastside streetcar route. The Knight Building was part of Sunnyside's shopping area. Not many buildings like it from this time are still standing in southeast Portland. Most have been replaced by newer or bigger structures.
We don't know the exact date the building was finished or who built it. However, old deed records suggest that J.S. Winslow might have been the builder. He bought the land from the Sunnyside Land and Improvement Company. Then, a few months later, in 1889, he sold it to Deborah Kent. She later sold it to J.S. McDaniel in 1895, who owned it until 1915. City records show that a post office was located on part of the first floor from 1898 to 1911.
