National Cash Register Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids National Cash Register (NCR) Building |
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The National Cash Register Building in 1905
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| Former names | St. Johns First Congregational Church |
| Alternative names | St. Johns Theater & Pub |
| General information | |
| Coordinates | 45°35′19″N 122°45′6″W / 45.58861°N 122.75167°W |
| Opened | 1904, 1905, 1906 |
| Cost | $5,000 |
| Renovation cost | $1,000 (1905); $1,200 (1906) |
| Owner | NCR Corporation (1904–05); St. Johns Congregational Society (after 1905); McMenamins (present) |
| Designations | Portland Historic Landmark |
The National Cash Register Building, also known as the St. Johns Theater & Pub, has a really interesting story! It's a building that has moved three times. First, it was built in St. Louis, Missouri, for a big event called the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904. Then, it was moved to Portland, Oregon, for another big event, the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, the very next year. Finally, it was moved one last time to a neighborhood in Portland called St. Johns, Oregon. The NCR Corporation gave this building to a church group there. Today, it's a popular theater and pub run by a company called McMenamins.
History of the Moving Building
The NCR Corporation, a company that made cash registers, built this special building for about $5,000 in 1904. It was part of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri. This big event was like a world's fair, showing off new inventions and ideas.
The building was designed to be easy to move. After the St. Louis fair, it was taken apart and moved to Portland, Oregon. This move cost about $1,000. It was rebuilt for the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in 1905. On September 4, 1905, which was "NCR Day" at the exposition, the building was very busy. People crowded in to see it.
After the 1905 exposition ended, the NCR Corporation gave the building to a church group called the St. Johns Congregational Society. This group was in St. Johns, Oregon, which is now part of Portland. On June 3, 1906, the building was officially opened as a church. Other churches helped out too. The First Congregational Church of Portland donated beautiful stained glass windows. Another church group gave $1,200 to help pay for moving the building one last time.
By 1930, the building was used by the YWCA, an organization that helps women and girls. Today, it is a theater and pub run by the McMenamins company. It's a great example of a building that has had many different lives!
