Francis Ermatinger House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Francis Ermatinger House
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The Ermatinger House in 2009
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 Location in Oregon City OR
Location in Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Location | 619 6th St. Oregon City, Oregon |
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| Built | c. 1843 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Federal Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 77001099 |
| Added to NRHP | 1977 |
The Francis Ermatinger House is a very old and important house located in Oregon City, Oregon, United States. It was built way back in 1843, making it one of the oldest houses in Oregon and the oldest in Clackamas County. This house was built for Francis Ermatinger, who was a big leader for the Hudson's Bay Company and later helped run the early government of Oregon.
The house was first built right by the water near Willamette Falls. Over the years, it has been moved two times. In 1910, it moved to 11th and Center streets. Then, in 1986, it moved again to its current spot at 6th and John Adams streets. It is now right next to the Stevens Crawford House museum. The Ermatinger House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Since then, it has been open as a museum for people to visit.
History of the Ermatinger House
The Ermatinger House was built in a style called Greek Revival. This means it looked a bit like ancient Greek temples, with simple, strong shapes. It was first located near the Willamette River, in the downtown area close to Willamette Falls. Francis Ermatinger worked for the Hudson's Bay Company. He stayed in Oregon City even after the company stopped its work there in 1845.
The house was moved in 1910 to the corner of 11th and Center streets. It was moved again in 1986 to its current spot at 6th and John Adams streets. This location is right next to the Stevens Crawford House museum.
Moving the house twice caused some damage, making it unstable. Because of this, the windows had to be taken out. In 2011, the house was closed to visitors. After many repairs, the house was opened again on July 7, 2018. The City of Oregon City Parks and Recreation Department now takes care of it.
Today, you can visit the house for guided or self-guided tours on Fridays and Saturdays. They also hold different events there throughout the year.
How Portland Got Its Name
It is believed that a very famous coin toss happened in the left parlor of the Ermatinger House. This was between Francis Pettygrove and Asa Lovejoy in 1845. They were at a dinner party and arguing about what to name the town they were planning. The town was then called The Clearing.
Lovejoy wanted to name it Boston, after his hometown in Massachusetts. Pettygrove wanted to name it Portland, after his hometown in Maine. They decided to flip a coin to settle it. Pettygrove won two out of three coin tosses. Because of this, the city was named Portland, Oregon.
See also
- List of the oldest buildings in Oregon
- List of Oregon's Most Endangered Places
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Clackamas County, Oregon
