902 12th Street

SOL S. WALKER HOUSE -- Statement of Significance: In 1888, S.B. Califf sold the property to Solomon S. Walker, and it is unclear which owner was responsible for the construction of the residence. Walker was a miller and laborer for Crown Paper Company, who in the 1910s became a decorator and painter. Walker sold the house in 1920 to George Griffith, who occupied it until selling in 1938. The property changed hands again in 1947 and 1950, when it was purchased by Melvin Ueland, a salesman for the Oregonian. Ueland, who owned the house through the mid-1980s, lived in the house for years before using it as a rental. In the 1960s, it was occupied by Stan Karbonksi, a grinder for Crown Zellerbach.

This 1-1/2 story house has a T-shaped plan, with the main gable running east-west and a rectangular wing extending to the north side of the house. At the northwest corner of the house, a small porch under a hip roof leads to the main entrance to the house. This porch hip is supported by large square columns with a new railing running between the columns and plain knee brackets running from the columns up to the frieze. A small rectangular bay is present on the west end of the house, also covered by a shallow hip roof. The house is clad with horizontal drop siding, finished with corner boards. The gables feature enclosed eaves with wide frieze and rake boards. A small, shed roof has been added to the north side of the house, just east of the north wing. This roof covers a secondary entrance to the house and is supported with triangular knee brackets. The windows are all 1/1 vinyl sashes with plain board surrounds. A wide belt course encircles the house at the first-floor level, providing a transition from the vertical tongue and groove foundation skirt to the drop siding.

This property is a locally designated historic site located within the McLoughlin Conservation District. Contact ocplanning@orcity.org for more information.