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Wednesday May 23rd
Oregon City Planning Department
The Planning Division is responsible for all long range and current planning as well as the implementation of the Oregon City Comprehensive Plan and associated Municipal Ordinances.
819 4th Street - Otto and Luelle Erickson House

This one story house is a good example of the Queen Anne style in Oregon City. Sitting under a cross gable roof, it features a smaller gable extending out from the inside corner of the L-shaped plan to cover the main entry. This porch roof is supported by turned columns with a spindle and stickwork balustrade enclosing the porch. Above the porch columns is a spindle work frieze. The house is primarily clad with drop siding, finished with cornerboards above the fully developed water table. A belt course at the level of the enclosed eaves provides a transition to the shingled gable ends, which feature an octagonal pattern and a sunburst panel at each side just above the belt course. This pattern is repeated in the gable end with a decorative sunburst panel surrounded by three round ornaments above another spindle work frieze. The windows in the house are primarily 1/1 double-hung wood sashes, typically arranged in pairs with board trim, narrow sills, and small hood moldings. A brick chimney with a corbelled cap is centrally located in the house. At the northeast corner, a rear porch was added and subsequently enclosed with eight light casement windows. A small deck was added to the east side of the porch at the time of its enclosure with turned balusters. The house rests on a parged concrete foundation, and the front porch has been skirted with lattice.

 

Statement of Significance: In 1900, Otto and Luella Erickson purchased this property and are credited with the construction of the residence. Mr. Erickson was a millwright at the CWP Company, who by 1933 was living at 411 Madison and using this house as a rental. Over the years, tenants included Dorothy Schwantes, a teacher; M. Stenberg, a secretary at Spears Investigation Bureau; and George W. Rindflesch, a driver for G&H Salvage. In 1981, the property was still owned by the Erickson family.