Laurelhurst As It Was A Century Ago, Part 2

Continuing our tour of our neighborhood as it was one hundred years ago, thanks to the Laurelhurst sales brochure circa 1916.

When we started walking the in park, the H. Russell Albee house was visible through the trees. Here is the interior of the house. Albee built this house in 1912 and was elected Mayor of Portland in 1913. He will serve until 1917, then resume his business career, until returning to public service in the Parks Bureau from 1939 until his death in 1950.

Also near the park, is the grand - dare we call it a mere bungalow? - of Mrs. Harvey Scott. Laurelhurst has many large houses, gracefully sited on large lots. We don't, at least so far, have too many large houses, gracelessly crammed into small lots.

Another large house, shown below, belongs to H. H. Ward, who was active in the neighborhood. Several years from now, he will join other neighbors in court, trying to preserve Coe Circle as a neighborhood park and public space, and opposing efforts to build a grocery store. As of March 1922, the neighbors will be losing, but there will no store there in 2016, so if anyone knows what ultimately happened, let us know.

Though expressing personal sympathy for the plaintiffs, who seek, by Injunction to prevent the erection of [a] combined grocery, drug store and meat market in the "circle" East Thirtyninth and Glisan streets, Lau- relhurst. Circuit Judge Phelps of Pendleton, sitting in Portland, declared yesterday afternoon that he doubted greatly that he could, as a court, grant them the relief prayed. Oregonian March 4, 1922

In 1916, the School Board had recently purchased the land that is now Laurelhurst Elementary School. Classes will begin two years from now in portable buildings, and in 1922 construction will start on the permanent building.

Our neighborhood has always had a mix of grand houses and charming bungalows, and our virtual walk takes us by the small house of S. B. Cook. An avid tennis player, in a couple of years he'll be competing in tournaments at the Laurelhurst Club.

Next week, we'll keep walking through Laurelhurst in 1916 and looking at the beautiful houses. You may wonder, are these houses still standing today, and where are they? Stay tuned . . .