Oregon Commercial Company Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Oregon Commercial Company Building
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Oregon
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 40--50 E. Washington St., Huntington, Oregon |
|---|---|
| Area | 0.1 acres (0.040 ha) |
| Built | 1891 |
| Architect | Steel, R.M. |
| Architectural style | Italianate, High Victorian Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000666 |
| Added to NRHP | June 04, 1992 |
The Oregon Commercial Company Building was a historic building in Huntington, Oregon. This town is located in Baker County, Oregon, United States. The building was finished in 1891. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. This means it was recognized as an important historical site.
Experts said the building was the "best preserved" and most important one left in Huntington. It showed how much the railroad helped the town grow. It was a special reminder of Huntington's busiest times. Sadly, the building burned down completely on May 24, 2019.
Contents
A Look Back at Its History
Building a Railroad Town
In the early 1880s, two big railroad companies were working on a huge project. They wanted to connect Portland, Oregon and Omaha, Nebraska with a single train track. One company, the Oregon Short Line, built tracks from the east. The other, the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company, built from the west.
These two lines finally met in Huntington in November 1884. This connection made Huntington a very busy place. Many businesses opened to serve the railroad, its workers, and passengers. Huntington officially became a town in 1891.
From Stores to Restaurants
The Oregon Commercial Company Building was built by the Oregon Construction Company. Work began in 1890 and finished in 1891. The building had two floors. The first floor was split into two shops: a drug store and a general store. The second floor had apartments for rent. Many railroad workers lived there.
In 1894, the building got its name, the Oregon Commercial Company. This happened when R. M. Steel and J. H. Aitkin started their company. The building's name changed again in 1908 to Huntington Mercantile. This was after Fred S. Bubb bought the business.
Later, in 1928, a person named Howell bought the building. By 1930, the first floor had changed again. It became a restaurant called Howell's Cafe and a lounge called the Streamliner Lounge.
The Building's Final Years
In 1991, a part of the building collapsed. But people started working to fix it the very next year. In 2002, Howell's Cafe and the Streamliner Lounge reopened. This was part of a plan to make downtown Huntington lively again.
However, on May 24, 2019, the building caught fire. It was completely destroyed.
