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Heryford Brothers Building
Photograph of a three-story building on a city street corner
The Heryford Brothers Building in 2014
Location 524 Center Street
Lakeview, Oregon
Built 1913
Architect F. S. DeLongchamp
Architectural style Classical Revival
NRHP reference No. 80003330
Added to NRHP 1980

The Heryford Brothers Building is a really old and important building in Lakeview, Oregon. People sometimes call it the Elks Building. It was built way back in 1913 by William P. Heryford, who was a local rancher and businessman. This building has been used continuously since it was built, even though it has had different owners. Today, many small businesses operate inside the Heryford Building. Because it's so important to Lakeview's history, the Heryford Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a special place worth protecting.

Building History

The town of Lakeview was started in 1876. It grew slowly at first because it was in a very remote area. In May 1900, a huge fire destroyed almost all of the town's buildings. Out of 66 buildings, 64 were gone, leaving 700 people without homes. But the people of Lakeview worked hard to rebuild. Most homes and businesses were replaced by October of that same year. A local doctor, banker, and businessman named Bernard Daly helped pay for much of this rebuilding.

Growth and Construction

In 1908, a new county courthouse was built in the middle of town. It was on Center Street, which was the main east-west road. Then, in 1911, the Nevada–California–Oregon Railway reached Lakeview. This was a big deal! The railroad helped the town's businesses grow a lot.

In just two years after the railroad arrived, over $200,000 was invested in Lakeview's downtown area. William P. Heryford, a local rancher, put in almost half of that money. In 1913, Heryford decided to build a large, three-story commercial building. It was built right across the street from the Lake County courthouse.

A Modern Building

Heryford's building cost about $100,000 to construct, which was a huge amount of money back then. When it was finished, it was the biggest and most expensive building in Lakeview. It was also very modern for its time. It had its own power generator, central heating, elevators, electric lights, hot water, and even telephones!

The Heryford Brothers Building was officially opened on March 14, 1913. More than 600 people came to the ceremony. After the dedication, Heryford hosted a big party for the community. It lasted from 7:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. the next morning! The local newspaper, the Lake County Examiner, said it was the "largest gathering of beautifully gowned women ever gathered in Lakeview." They even thought Lakeview would never see another party like it.

The Heryford building was the largest in Lakeview when it was built. It is still one of the city's most important business buildings today. Because it played such a big part in Lakeview's growth, the Heryford Brothers Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 30, 1980.

Building Design

The Heryford Brothers Building is a three-story building designed in the Classical Revival style. This style often uses elements from ancient Greek and Roman buildings. The building has about 54,000 square feet (5,000 m2) of space inside. It was designed by F. S. DeLongchamp, an architect from San Francisco. A well-known Lakeview builder named I. A. (Andy) Underwood constructed it.

When the building first opened, the first floor had the Lakeview Mercantile Company, Lakeview's post office, and a drug store. The United States Land Office and the local Elks Lodge were on the second floor. Professional offices were on the third floor. The building had many very modern features for an isolated town in the early 1900s. These included an electric power generator, central heating, elevators, telephones, electric lights, and hot water.

Heryford Building, Lakeview, Oregon, 2001
Heryford Building before the sidewalk awning was removed

The building is made of steel and masonry (like brick and stone). It measures about 107 feet (33 m) by 128 feet (39 m). The main entrance faces Center Street. It has strong stone pillars and an arch with a classic design above the double doors. There are also stone pillars between the ground floor windows and brick pillars above them. Another entrance is at the corner of Center Street and F Street.

For a while, a heavy wooden awning hung over the sidewalks along the first floor. This was added after the building was first constructed. However, it was removed sometime after 2001, making the outside look more like it did originally.

Windows and Details

The second floor has groups of three square windows. Above the main window panes are smaller upper windows called transom windows. All the windows are set in pine casement frames, which means they open like a door. On the third floor, the groups of three windows are repeated, but they are inside rounded arch frames.

The building's metal trim at the top, called cornices, has fancy designs. These include detailed entablature, frieze, and dentil elements, which are common in classical architecture. The building also has a full basement.

Over the years, the first floor has been changed a lot to fit new businesses. The mercantile store became a restaurant, and then other commercial spaces. Later, the Elks Lodge expanded to the first floor. These changes included new ceilings, walls, wood panels, and bathrooms. The space where the drug store was has had different owners, but it still looks much like it did originally. The second and third floors have mostly kept their original design, except for some changes made for fire safety.

Building Location

The Heryford Brother Building is located on the north side of Center Street in Lakeview, Oregon. It is between E Street and F Street. The building faces the Lake County Courthouse, which is in the center of town.

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