National Register of Historic Places Registration Form ^ •;

NPS

Form

10-900

(Oct.

1990)

OMB

No.

10024-0018

United

States

Department of

the

Interior

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

^

•;

This

form

is

for

use

in

nominating

or

requesting

determinations

for

individual

properties

and

districts.

See

instructions

in

How

to

Complete

the

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

(National

Register

Bulletin

16A).

Complete

each

item

by

marking

"x"

in

the

appropriate

box

or

by

entering

the

information

requested.

If an

item

does

not

apply

to

the

property being

documented,

enter

"N/A"

for

"not

applicable."

For

functions,

architectural

classification,

materials,

and areas

of

significance,

enter

only

categories

and

subcategories

from

the

instructions.

Place

additional

entries

and

narrative

items

on

continuation

sheets

(NPS

Form

10-900a).

Use

a

typewriter,

word processor,

or

computer, to

complete

all

items.

1

.

Name

of

Property

____________________________________

historic name

Hamilton

,

Alexander

B.

and

Anna

Balch

Hamilton/

House

other

names/site

number

2. Location

street

&

number

___

city

or

town

_____

state

____Oregon

2723-2729

NW

Savier Street

Portland

_N£&not

for

publication

N/iSl

vicinity

code

OR

county

Multnomah

code

051

zip

code

97210

3.

State/Federal

Agency

Certification

As

the

designated

authority

under

the

National

Historic

Preservation

Act,

as

amended,

I

hereby

certify

that

this

IXl

nomination

D

request

for

determination

of

eligibility

meets

the documentation

standards

for

registering

properties

in

the

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

and

meets

the

procedural

and

professional

requirements

set

forth

in

36

CFR

Part

60.

In

my

opinion,

the

property

B3

meets

D

does

not

meet

the

National

Register

criteria.

I

recommend

that

this

property

be

considered

significant

D

nationally

D

statewide

El

locally.

(D

See

continuation

sheet

for

additional

comments.)

__

___________

_

Signature

of

certifying

official/Title

Date

Oregon

State

Hishprir;

Of

fire*

State of

Federal

agency

and

bureau

In

my

opinion,

the

property

D

meets

D

does

not

meet

the

National

Register

criteria.

(D

See

continuation

sheet

for

additional

comments.)

Signature

of

certifying

official/Title

Date

State

or

Federal

agency

and

bureau

4.

National

Park

Service

Certification

I

hereby

certify that

the

property

is:

CJentered

in

the

National

Register.

D

See

continuation

sheet.

D

determined eligible

for

the

National

Register

D

See

continuation

sheet.

D

determined

not

eligible

for

the

National

Register.

D

removed

from

the

National

Register.

D

other,

(explain:)

________

Hamilton

Name

oTProp<

roperty

House

Multnomah,

Oregon

County

and

State

5.

Classification

Ownership of

Property

(Check

as

many

boxes

as

apply)

(X3

private

D

public-local

D

public-State

D

public-Federal

categories

from

instructions)

Domestic:

(Enter

categories

from

instructions)

High

Victorian

Italianate

Current

Functions

(Enter

categories

from

instructions)

Domestic:

Fout-plex

7.

Description

(Enter

categories

from

instructions)

foundation

concrete____

walls

____weatherboards

roof

_

other

asphalt;

composition

shingle

Narrative

Description

(Describe

the

historic

and

current

condition

of

the

property

on

one

or

more

continuation

sheets.)

taa+omt

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic Places

Continuation

Sheet

Section

number

_Z—

Page

—

I

_

DESCRIPTION

The

Alexander

B.

Hamilton

House,

built

ca.

1890, is

located

at

the

foot

of

Willamette

Heights,

built

in

the

High

Victorian

Italianate

style.

It

has

slant

bays

on

the

front

and

side

that

continue

from

the

partially

elevated

basement

through

the

second

story.

The

basement

is

concrete;

the

house

is

framed

in

wood.

From

the

upper

floor

there

are

views

of

Mt.

Hood

and

Mt.

St.

Helens.

It

has

double

front

doors

with

an

open

curving

stairwell

leading

to

the second

floor.

The typical

Victorian

woodwork

on

the

interior

is

intact

and

well

preserved.

In

converting

the

original

single-family

dwelling

into

a

larger

four-plex,

there

have

been

no

significant

exterior

alterations.

The

interior

alterations

have

involved,

with

the

exception

of

upgrading

the

kitchens

and

bathrooms,

only

minor

changes.

All

interior

changes

have

been

done

with

great

respect

for

the

integrity

of

the

building.

SETTING

The

house

was

built

on

property

owned

by

Alexander's

wife,

Anna

Balch

Stump

Hamilton. She

also

owned

2748

N.W.

Thurman

Street.

These

properties

were

on

the

original

Balch's

donation

land

claim,

given

to

Danford

Balch,

Anna's

father,

by the

United

States

of

America, and

made

up

of

345.92

acres

and

covered

all

of

Willamette

Heights

and

much

more.

According

to

Metsker's

Atlas

of

Multnomah

County,

the Balch

Claim

was

bounded

by

these

points:

Vaughn

Street

near,

then

named,

St.

Helens

Boulevard

in

the

northwest

corner,

south

of

Cornell

Road

on

the

southwest

corner,

and

directly

east

downhill

to

the

vicinity

of

22nd

Avenue.

PLANS

The

optimism

of

the

late

Nineteenth

Century

in

the

United

States

was

best

expressed

in

the

variety

and

exuberance

of

its

architecture.

The

eastern

Scientific

American

Builder's

supplement

and

the

California

Architect

and

Building

News

provided

monthly

inspiration

nationwide

to

thousands

of

architects,

builders,

and

home

owners

and

buyers.

Mass

production

of

homes

through

balloon-framing

and

mass

production

of

details

combined

with

Victorian

taste

for

embellishment.

House

plans

and

complete specifications

were

available

everywhere.

The

house built

by

the

Hamilton

family

reflects

this

era.

Alexander

B.

Hamilton

was

a

successful

paving

contractor,

having

been

in

the

building

trade

since

1873.

He

would

have

chosen

a

stylish

house

that

demonstrated

his

modest

success.

NFS

Fan*

IMOfra

M9M9M

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Continuation

Sheet

Section

number

7

Page

——2—

PLANS

(continued)

The

fact

that

the

house

is a

long

narrow

building

on

property

approximately

150

feet

wide,

at

the

time

of

construction,

suggests that

this

was

built

taking

advantage

of

a

pattern

or

builder's

plan

without

professional

consideration

for

the

site.

EXTERIOR

The

building

Hamilton

selected

for

his

wife

and

large family

was

a

two

story,

partially

elevated

basement,

High

Italianate

Victorian.

It

has

a

flat

roof,

cornice

with

decorative

brackets,

frieze

of

wooden

panels,

and

decorative

wooden

trim

below

the

frieze.

There

are

polygonal

bay

windows

rising

from

the

raised

basement

through

the

second

story,

with

decorative

panels

above

and

below

the

sashes.

A

porch

encircles

the south and

west

sides

with

a

balcony

above.

The

frame

is

encased

with

horizontal

dropped-lapped

siding.

For

many

years

this

had

been

covered

by

asbestos

shingles,

but

when

removed

in 1978,

the

original

was

found

to be

in

excellent

condition.

The

body

of

the

house

is

painted

in

a

soft

sandy-beige

color,

the

trim

an

earth-brown

with

accents

of

dark

red

and

a

little

tangerine;

sashes are

charcoal.

These

approximate

the

colors

seen

in

the

1905

Souvenir

View

Book

of

the

Lewis

&

Clark

Centennial

Exposition

and

Oriental

Fair,

where

there

is a

panoramic

photo

that includes

a

good

view

of

the

house.

INTERIOR

The

walls

and

ceilings

of

the

interior

are

smooth

plaster.

Where

there

have

been

any

alterations

the

finish

duplicates

the

original.

The

ceilings

are

9'10".

The

original

woodwork

of

cedar

with

bulls-eye

moldings

is

intact

and

in

good

condition.

Although

this

was

painted

and

grained

in

the

beginning,

many

multi-colored

coats

of

paint

made

this

finish

impractical

to

restore.

The

woodwork

is

now

stripped

of

old

paint,

stained,

and

varnished.

The

handsome

pocket

doors

on

the

first

floor

between

the

original

parlor

and

sitting-dining

rooms

are

also

remaining.

There

are

medallions

on

the

ceilings

of

these

two rooms

with

matching

suspended

brass

fixtures

in

the

center

or

each

room.

The

same

moldings

and

decorative

elements

remain

through-out

the

building.

The

balustrade

from

the

first

to

second

floors

is

typically

Victorian

with

large

newell

post,

wide

handrails,

and

turned

balusters,

making

a

360

degree

turn

to

form

the

second

floor

balustrade which

surrounds

the

well.

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Continuation

Sheet

Section

number

7

Page

—2—

UTILITIES

There

are

four

separate

gas

furnaces.

The

building

has

been

rewired

and

each

apartment

has

its

own

meter..

Light

fixtures

have

been

chosen

from

either

old

ones

of

this

era

or

from

reproductions

compatible

with

the

original.

ALTERATIONS

The

original

first floor

kitchen

had

wainscoting

to

the

chair

rail.

When

this

space

was

divided

to

make

the

entry

for

2727,

the

wainscoting

was

used

for

this

space

and

stained

and

varnished

to

match

the

woodwork.

The

kitchen serving

the

second

floor

apartment,

2725,

utilizes

the

bedroom

over

the

first

floor

kitchen

and

necessitated

no

changes

in

structure.

The

basement,

which

is

2723,

keeps

it

original

configuration,

with

the

stairwell

from

the

first

floor

closed

to

make

a

closet.

A

kitchen

and

bathroom

have

been

added.

This

apartment

has

all

the

original

woodwork.

The

one

story

addition

which

was

built

before

1901

on

the

north

(back)

side

of

the

house

had

three

bedrooms

and

a

bathroom. This

space

constitutes

2729.

It

was

isolated

by

plastering

a

door

opening.

The

original

back

door then

became

the

entry.

A

kitchen

was

added.

All

changes

have

been made with

great

consideration

for

the

integrity

of

the original

structure.

Hamilton

House

Name

of

Property

Multnomah,

Oregon

County

and

State

8.

Statement

of

Significance

Applicable

National

Register

Criteria

(Mark

"x"

in

one

or

more

boxes

for

the

criteria

qualifying

the

property

for

National

Register

listing.)

D

A

Property

is

associated

with

events

that

have

made

a

significant

contribution

to

the

broad

patterns

of

our

history.

D

B

Property

is

associated

with

the

lives

of

persons

significant

in

our

past.

S

C

Property

embodies

the

distinctive

characteristics

of

a

type, period,

or

method

of

construction

or

represents the

work

of

a

master,

or

possesses

high

artistic

values, or

represents

a

significant

and

distinguishable

entity

whose

components

lack

individual

distinction.

D

Property

has

yielded,

or

is

likely

to

yield,

information

important

in

prehistory

or

history.

Criteria

Considerations

(Mark

"x"

in

all

the

boxes

that

apply.)

Property

is:

D

A

owned

by

a

religious institution

or

used

for

religious

purposes.

D

B

removed

from

its

original

location.

D

C

a

birthplace

or

grave.

D

a

cemetery.

D

E

a

reconstructed

building,

object,

or

structure.

D

F

a

commemorative

property.

D

G

less

than

50

years

of age

or

achieved

significance

within

the

past

50

years.

'Areas

of

Significance

(Enter

categories

from

instructions)

Architecture______

Period

of

Significance

c.

1890

Significant

Dates

c.

1890

Significant

Person

(Complete

if

Criterion

B

is

marked

above)

N/A__________________

Cultural

Affiliation

N/A_______

Architect/Builder

Unknown

Narrative

Statement

of Significance

(Explain

the

significance

of the

property

on one

or

more

continuation

sheets.)

9.

Major

Bibliographical

References

Bibliography

(Cite

the

books,

articles,

and

other

sources

used

in

preparing this

form

on

one

or

more

continuation

sheets.)

on

file

(NPS):

D

preliminary determination

of

individual

listing

(36

CFR

67)

has

been

requested

El

previously

listed

in

the

National

Register

ED

previously

determined eligible

by

the

National

Register

D

designated

a

National

Historic

Landmark

D

recorded

by

Historic

American

Buildings

Survey

#

______________

D

recorded

by

Historic

American

Engineering

Record

#

____________

Primary

location

of additional

data:

$

State

Historic Preservation

Office

D

Other

State

agency

D

Federal

agency

D

Local

government

n

University

D

Other

Name

of

repository:

Hami1hon

House

Name

of

Property

Multnomah,

Oregon

County

and

State

10.

Geographical

Data

Acreage

of

Property

n

T

i7

Portland,

Washi|ngton-Oregon

1:62500

UTM

References

(Place

additional

UTM

references

on

a

continuation

sheet.)

1

ll

ifll

15

2i2

9i2iSl

ISiQ

4i2

2i

Oi

0

Zone Easting

Northing

I I

Zone

Easting

Northing

D

See

continuation

sheet

Verbal

Boundary

Description

(Describe

the

boundaries

of

the

property

on a

continuation

sheet.)

Boundary

Justification

(Explain

why

the

boundaries

were

selected

on

a

continuation

sheet.)

Submit

the

following

items

with

the

completed

form:

Continuation

Sheets

Maps

A

USGS

map

(7.5

or

15

minute

series)

indicating

the

property's

location.

A

Sketch

map

for

historic

districts

and

properties

having

large

acreage

or

numerous

resources.

Photographs

Representative

black

and

white

photographs

of

the

property.

Additional

items

(Check

with

the

SHPO

or

FPO

for

any

additional

items)

I

i

11.

Form

Prepared

By

name/title

organization

street

&

number

city

or

town

Patricia

Duncan

Fagan

N/A

2525

RW

Montgomery

Drive

Port

1

^n^

date

telephone

state

Oregon

Additional

Documentation

July

12,

1992

??

8

_3nn5

zip

code

Q79m

Property

Owner

(Complete

this

item

at

the

request of

SHPO

or

FPO.)

name

Patricia

Dancan

Faaan

street

&

number

city

or

town

2525

SW

Montgomery

Drive

telephone

PorHand

K

state

Oregon

(503)

228-3005

zip

code

97201

Paperwork

Reduction

Act

Statement:

This

information

is

being

collected

for

applications

to the

National

properties

for

listing

or

determine

eligibility

for

listing,

to

list

properties,

and

to

amend

existing

listings,

a

benefit

in

accordance with

the

National

Historic

Preservation

Act,

as

amended

(16

U.S.C.

470

et

seq.

Register

of

Historic

Places

to

nominate

Response

to

this

request

is

required

to

obtain

Estimated

Burden

Statement:

Public reporting

burden

for

this

form

is

estimated to

average

18.1

noun;

per

response

including

time

for

reviewing

instructions,

gathering

and

maintaining

data,

and

completing

and

reviewing

the

form.

Direct

comments

regarding

this

burden

estimate

or

any

aspect

of

this

form

to the

Chief,

Administrative

Services

Division,

National

Park Service,

P.O.

Box

37127,

Washington,

DC

20013-7127;

and

the

Office

of

Management

and

Budget,

Paperwork

Reductions

Projects

(1024-0018),

Washington,

DC

20503.

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Continuation

Sheet

Section

number

8

Page

SHPO

SUMMARY

The

commodious,

two-story

Italianate

house

fronting

NW

Savier

Street near

27th

Avenue

at

the

foot

of

Willamette

Heights

in

northwest

Portland,

Oregon

was

built about

1890

and first

occupied

by

Alexander

B.

Hamilton,

a

successful

building

and

paving

contractor,

his

wife

and

numerous

children.

The

house

is

of

historical

interest

as

the

home

of

Anna

Balch

Hamilton,

whose

father,

early

Willamette

Heights

land

claimant

Danford

Balch,

shot

and

killed

the

man with

whom

she

had

eloped,

for

which

he

was

fated

to

be

the

object

of

the

city's

first

legal

hanging

in

1859.

The

young

widow

Stump

married

Hamilton

and

raised

ten

children

in

the

house

on

Savier

Street,

which

was

located

on

the

original

claim

of

Danford

Balch,

her

father.

Though

tenuously

linked

by

Anna

Balch

Stump

Hamilton

to

a

tragically

notorious

event

in

Portland

history,

the

house derives

its

significance

under

Criterion

C

as

a

fine

example

of

High

Victorian

Italianate

architecture

that

has

been restored

by

its

current

owner

to

convey

well

its

original

character.

Rising

from

a

high

concrete

basement

on an

elevated

site,

the

house

has

an

imposing

air

and

exhibits

all

the

essential

hallmarks

of

its

stylistic

type.

The

two-story

rectilinear

volume

of

wood

frame

construction

has

a

low

hip

roof

and

is

oriented longitudinally

on

its

lot,

facing

south

onto

Savier.

The

front

entrance,

reached

by

a

long

flight

of

steps

from

the

street

level,

is

sheltered

by

a

veranda

which

wraps around

the

southwest

corner

to

encompass

a

kitchen

entrance

set

back

from

the

front

plane.

The

chamfered

porch

posts

with

their

quarter

fan

brackets

originally

had

capitals

at

the impost

line.

The

facade

and

east

elevation

are

distinguished

by

polygonal

parlor

and

dining

room

bays

extending

continuously

from

the

basement

to

the

cornice.

The

exterior

is

clad

with

shiplap

and

trimmed with

corner

boards,

a

stylized,

scalloped dentil

course,

and

an

elaborate

bracketed

cornice

with

inset

frieze

panels.

Window

openings

are

characteristically

tall

and

narrow.

Their

surrounds

originally

had

cornice

molding.

Window

bays

have

inset

spandrel

panels.

Before

1901,

a

single story

bedchamber

addition

was

constructed

on

the

back

of

the

house.

NP8

Form

1MOO*

OMB

Apprmrtl

No.

J024-OOJ4

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Continuation

Sheet

Section

number

8

Page

Among

noteworthy

features

of

the

finish

work

are

the

double-leaf

front

door

with

its

molded

panels

both

square

and

rectangular,

a

fine

geometric

staircase,

open

at

the

string,

with

tapered

octagonal

newel

post;

sliding

pocket

doors

with

chased

hardware,

and

other

standard,

high-quality trim

elements

of

the

day,

including

baseboards

with

elaborate

crown

molding;

door

and

window

trim

with

beaded

architraves

and

bull's-eye

corner

blocks.

Plaster

ceiling

medallions

are

in

place

in

the

main

rooms.

Downstairs

woodwork

originally

was

grained

but

was

later painted.

City

records

show

that

Hamilton's

son,

John,

took

out

a

building

permit

for

improvements

in

1928,

and

by

1931

the

house

had

become

legal,

non-conforming

multiple

housing.

Some

time

before

acquisition

by

the

current

owner

in

1977,

the

house

was

converted

to

a

four-unit

apartment

building

with

comparatively

minor

alteration.

Separation

of

living

spaces

was

effected

chiefly

by

filling

and

plastering

of

former

doorways.

There

were

the

regulation

kitchen

and

bath installations

and

plumbing

and

wiring

upgrades.

The

asbestos

shingle

cladding

which

had

covered

the

exterior

in

later

years was

removed

in

1978

to

reveal

the

original

shiplap

siding.

Exterior

trim,

for

the

most

part,

was

not

affected.

In

the

most

recent

renovation,

the

front

stairs

were

rebuilt

to

the original

pattern,

and

railings

of

pierced,

shaped

slats

approximating

the

spirit

of

the

original

jigsawn

balustrades

were

added

to

upper

and

lower

front

porch

decks.

Those

are

being

lowered

to

conform

to

historic

proportions following

an

appeal

of

current

safety

code

requirements.

Documentary

photographs

and

research guided

the

present

exterior

paint

treatment,

which

is

dun-

colored

body,

brown

trim

with

red

accent,

and

charcoal

for

the

window

sash.

NPS

Fwm

l«40fr«

OMB

IAPTOM*

Ma

TOa*CDt«

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Continuation

Sheet

Section

number

8

Page

—3——

STATEMENT

OF

SIGNIFICANCE

The

Alexander

B.

Hamilton

House

is

significant

under Criterion

"C"

as

an

excellent

and

well

maintained

example

of

High

Victorian

Italianate

architecture.

Built

in

1890

and

located

in

Northwest

Portland,

it

is

one

of

only

two

excellent

remaining

houses

of

this

type

-

with

a

single

front

bay

-

in

this

area.

Its

special

features

and

materials

include

cornice

with

decorative

brackets,

frieze

of

wooden

panels,

and

decorative

wooden

trim

below

the

frieze.

There

are

polygonal

bay

windows

rising

from

the

raised

basement

through

the

second

story,

with

decorative

wooden

panels

above

and

below

the

sashes.

There

is

an

encircling

porch

with

a

balcony

above.

VICTORIAN

ARCHITECTURE

The

19th

century

revolution

in

house

building

known

as

"balloon

framing"

or

"western-platform

framing"

was

made

possible

by

two

new

products-

standardized

lumber

and

machine-made

nails.

The

interior

and

exterior

of

these

houses

became

mass

produced

and

were

heavily

promoted

by architectural

magazines

of

the

times,

with

elaborate

advertisements.

Several architects

built Italian

style

houses,

including

John

Notman,

who

designed

the

Tuscan

Renaissance

Revival

style

Philadelphia

Athenaeum,

and

the

Italian

villa

style

Morris-Libby

mansion

in

Portland,

Maine.

McKim,

Mead

&

White

also

designed

houses

in

the

Tuscan

Renaissance

Revival

style,

the

Villard

houses

in

New

York

City,

for

example.

Henry

Austin,

Richard

Hunt,

E.

Townsend

Mix,

Samuel

Sloan

and

Gervaise

Wheeler

are

just

a

few

other

architects

to

design

in

the

Italian

style.

But

most

Italian

style

houses

were

not

designed

by

architects.

A.J.

Downing's

villas

were

built

by

builders

according

to

his

plans,

and

many

other

pattern

books

included

Italianate

designs.

Builders

might

take

a

familiar

shape

and

add

Italianate

details

because

they

were

fashionable.

The

Italian

style

had

such

a

broad

architectural

vocabulary

that

a

builder

could

create

a

unique

house

that

was

still

Italianate

because

all

the

details

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Continuation

Sheet

Section

number

_S—

Page

—

I

_

VICTORIAN

ARCHITECTURE

(continued)

were recognizably

from

the

Italian

Renaissance.

It

is

a

style

that

encourage diversity

and

self-expression..

With

the

proliferation

of

plans

and

millwork,

it

seems

apparent

that

Hamilton

took

advantage

of

these

elements

to

construct

his

house

on

"S"

street.

In

the

Portland

City

Directory

he

is

listed

on

"SS"

"T"

w

of

25th from

1888

through

1890.

In

1891

he

is

listed

at

931

Savier,

which

later

became

2729

N.W.

Savier.

Whether

this

reflects

a

move

(from

perhaps

2748

N.W.

Thurman,

which

Anna

also

owned)

or

the

city

change

in

street

names

in

1890,

is

uncertain.

It

does

indicate,

however,

that

the

house

was

built

before

1891.

By

1901

a

one-story

addition

of

another

three

rooms

and

bathroom

had

been

built

at

the

back

of

the

house

as

added

space

for

this

family

that

included

ten

children.

After

Hamilton's

death

in

1898,

Anna

continued

to

live

there

until

1920.

Their

son,

John,

is

listed

as

living

at

this

address

until

1935.

Although

there

are

quite

a

few

High

Victorian

Italianate

buildings

in

the

Historic

Resource

Inventory

of

1984

(some

of

which

have

already

been

razed),

only

one

other,

at

2234

N.W.

Johnson

St.

has

the

same

structural

elements

and

is

of

equal

integrity

and

maintenance.

It

has

National

Historic

designation.

Hamilton

House

is

listed

in

the

Historic

Resource

Inventory

with

a

Rank

II

and

is

also

included

in

the

Index

to

Architectural

Style.

"The

Victorian

house

builders

consciously

set

out

to

make

houses

that

were

"beautiful".

To

them,

ornamentation

and

decoration

were

an

integral

part

of

beauty.

In

this

belief,

they

were

drawing

on

the

building

tradition

that

began

long

before

the

Greeks.

It

is

only

in

the

short

span

of

the

20th

century

that

designers

have relentlessly

stripped

away

every

vestige

of

ornament

and

decoration

from

buildings-

both

when

constructing

new

or

when

"remodeling"

the

old.

"____"

On

a

streetscape,

Victorian

houses

provide

a

variety

of

textures,

highlights

and

shadows

that

most people

find,

on

a

deep

emotional

level,

satisfying

and

enriching."!

1.

Clem

Labine,

Editor,

The

Old

House

Journal,

4/26/1976

NFS

Fan*

1MO»«

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Continuation

Sheet

Section

number

8

Page

—2—

ANNA

BALCH

HAMILTON

Although

the

Alexander

B.

Hamilton

family

occupied

this

house

for

close

to

50

years,

the

historically

significant

event

occurred

in

1858,

with

young

Anna

Balch

the

pivotal

character.

She

was

the

oldest

daughter

of

Danford,

who

with

his

wife,

Mary

Jane,

held

the

345.92

acres

of

the Balch

Claim.

The

creek

that

ran

through

the

property

was

at

one

time

the

main

source

of

Portland's

water

supply.

This

story

of

Danford

Balch

is

one

of

pitiful

tragedy.

He was

a

prominent

citizen,

the father

of

nine

children,

who

was

the

first

man

sentenced

to

public

execution

because

he

shot

the

man

who

ran

away

with

his

sixteen

year

old

daughter.

Nor

was his

hanging

the

end

to

the

sad

affair.

The

unhappy

Balch

wrote

a

pathetic

letter

the

day

before

he

died

in

which

he

asked

that

his

share

of

the

lands

be

given

to

the

children;

but

his

widow

permitted

the

lands

to

be

frittered

away,

and

at

the

close

of

a

long,

bitter

legal

struggle,

30

years

later,

the

children

found

themselves

bereft

of

all

but

a

meager

portion

of

their

patrimony.

It

was

not

only

the

murder

of

Mortimer

Stump,

Anna's

first

husband,

or

the

hanging

of

her

father

for

that

crime,

that

appeared

to

generate

the

most

interest

in

the

newspapers

and

magazines.

It

was

the

settlement

of

the

Balch

estate.

It

was

a

fabled

case

without

precedent

including

elements

of

villainous

fraud;

children

despoiled

of

their

rightful

inheritance;

a

consummate

plan

of

studied

robbery;

shameless

villainy

carried

off

in

secrecy;

infamy and

pitiless action

by

men who

were

under

every

obligation

of honor,

duty

and

low

to

protect

the

helpless

heirs.

There

were

accounts

of

these

events

in

the

Oregonian,

the

Oregon

Journal,

the

Portland

and

the

Oregon

Historical

Quarterly,

among

others

and

the

case

held

public

interest

for

70

years.

OWNERSHIP

HISTORY

Alexander

B.

Hamilton

1890-1936

Julius Smedstad

1936-1945

J. A.

Lethbridge

1945-1947

Katie

Buchanan

1947-1950

John

Braniff

1950-1961

Joe

L.

Bolopue

1961-1972

Frederick

H.

Heidel

1972-1975

Paul

Zilka

1975-1977

Patricia

D.

Fagan 1977-Present

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Continuation

Sheet

Section

number

9

Page

—

I

_

MAJOR

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL

REFERENCES

City

of

Portland,

Historic

Inventory,

1984

City

of

Portland Architectural

Index,

1984

Multnomah

County

Tax

Assessor

Records,

microfilm,

automated

date

files,

and

card

files

(Portland,

1992)

Oregon

Historical

Society,

Vertical

Files,

Biography

File,

and

Scrapbook

File

Orloff,

Chet,

"Willamette

Heights:

A

History",

unpublished

typescript.

1980

Orwell,

Carol;

Waldhorn,

Judith

Lynch,

A

Gift

to

the

Street

Antelope

Island

Press,

S.F.

California,

1976

Portland

City

Directory,

(Portland,

Oregon)

Portland

Block

Book

(1907)

Sanborn

Insurance

Maps

(corrected

to

1908)

Souvenir

View

Book

of

the

Lewis

and

Clark

Centennial

Exposition

and

Oriental

Fair,

Robert

Reid,

Portland, Oregon,

1905

The

Old

House

Journals

Brooklyn,

N.Y.

Willamette

Heights

Chronicles,

1991

Weekly

Oreqonian.

Nov.

20,

1858

Weekly

Oreaonian,

July

2,

1859

Weekly

Orecronian,

Aug.

27,

1859

Weekly

Oreqonian,

May

16,

1860

Weekly

Oreaonian,

Oct.

15,

1859

Daily

Oreaonian,

Sept.

12,

1862

Weekly

Oreaonian,

Oct.

22,

1858

The

TA?eekly

Oreaonian.

Oct.

22,

1859

Sunday

Oreqonian,

Oct.

15,

1961

The

Oreaonian,

Feb.

3,

1985

The

Oregon

Journal,

Nov.

14,

1975

NP8IFfcrm

1MOO*

0MB

Appro**

No.

1024-001S

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Continuation

Sheet

Section

number

___

Page

___

BOUNDARY

DESCRIPTION

The

nominated

property

is

legally

described

as

the

East

24

feet

of

Lot

4

and

all

of

Lot

3

of

Block

321

in

Balch's

Addition

to

the

City

of

Portland,

Multnomah

County,

Oregon.

BOUNDARY

JUSTIFICATION

The

nominated property

is

the

entire

urban

tax

lot

presently

associated

with

the

house

that was

built

for

Alexander

B.

and

Anna

Balch

Hamilton

in

about

1890.

o

6

TT

5

0

70

r

Z

n

TI

r

c/i

'

0

7>

C

( c

j2

FLOOR.

F

IRST

.W.

SAVIER

0

it

«-••

5

o.

0

O

J

<C

-I

o

71

r

o

t

historic

lesource

nventory

OIY

OF

PORTLAND/OREGON

I

2-782-02729

2729

N.W.

Savier

Street

;_.,.-

Balch's,

Block

321,

Ift

3,

East

24'

of

Lot

4

QUARTER

SECTION

MAP

f:

2826

Northwest

District

Association

ORIGINAL

FUNCTION:

Residence

DATE

BUILT:

ca.

1890

STYLE:

High

Victorian

Italianate

ORIGINAL

OWNER:

Hamilton,

Anna

(?)

TAX

ASSESSOR'S

ACCOUNT

#:

R-05100-1910

ZONING:

R2

Rank

II

SPECIAL

FEATURES

AND

MATERIALS:

Flat

roof.

Cornice

with

decorative

brackets,

frieze

of

wooden

panels,

and

decorative

wooden

trim

below

frieze.

Polygonal

bay

window

rising

from

raised

basement

through

second

story,

with

decorative

wooden

panels

above

and below

sashes.

Encircling

porch

with

balcony

above.

AREAS

OF

SIGNIFICANCE:

Architecture,

Curiosity

in

association

with

Danford

Balch

2-782-02729

Curiosity

in

association

with

Danford

Balch:

Anna

Hamilton

was

Danford

Balch'

daughter.

It

was

her

lover

whom

Balch

shot

and

for

whose

murder

he

was

hange

(the

first legal

hanging

in

Portland).

Alexander

Hamilton

was

her

second

husband.

She

raised

ten

children

in

this

house

and

lived

in

it

until

she

died.

She

also

owned

2748

N.W.

Thurman

Street.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

City

of

Portland

Buildings

Bureau

microform

and

card

files.

Multnomah

County

Tax Assessor

records,

microform,

automated

data

files,

and

cardfiles

(Portland,

1980).

Portland

City