902 6th Street

J.M. BACON HOUSE -- Statement of Significance: Daniel and Eloisa Harvey sold Lots 6-8 in Block 131 to John M. and Rachael W. Bacon in 1865 and they lived in the house for thirty years. John M. Bacon was born in Buffalo, NY (1822) and was orphaned at 2 years old. He worked until 17, then was employed on a whaler, Connecticut. He spent two years in China then Bombay. In 1845, he crossed the plains with his brother, Francis, who became a longtime resident of Sandy, Oregon. They traveled in a prairie schooner. In 1849, Bacon went to California following the discovery of gold. He returned to Oregon in 1850 and established a Donation Land Claim 15 miles from Oregon City. In 1857, he married Rachel Newman, who crossed the plains in 1845 and died June 25, 1902, at 68 years old. They had 12 children. In 1856, Bacon began working for Charman and Warner. In 1862, he left for the mines in Idaho. 

Before returning to Oregon City, he ran a store in Lewiston, Idaho for a period of time. He was elected county clerk and after four years, became county recorder. In 1868, he was appointed postmaster and at the same time, he ran a bookstore in Oregon City. He remained as postmaster for 20 years and ran the bookstore even longer. Bacon joined the Lodge at Oregon City in 1850, and the Odd Fellows in 1856. In 1859, he was the county assessor and in 1869, he became a councilman. They sold the house, along with portions of Lots 1 and 2, to John C. and Mary L. Bradley in 1895 who lived there until 1923. The house, which occupied Lots 7 and 8, was purchased by Alix and Mary Tomozewski. It was bought from them by Minnie G. Brown in 1930 and sold by an unnamed person in 1943 to Lillian and Roy Blankenbeuller. Alexander and Elizabeth Hamilton then purchased the house in 1964.

This two-story house sits under a side gable roof, with a shallow hip roof over the entry porch on the north side of the house. This porch appears to have been added about 1915 and features large square columns at the corners supporting the roof. The house is a symmetrical composition, with regularly spaced 1/1 double-hung wood sash windows throughout. The windows typically feature plain board trim and are slightly smaller on the second floor than on the first. The house is clad with asbestos ceramic shingles beneath the wide rake and frieze boards that run along the enclosed eaves. The east side has been recently clad with LP siding, and the windows are now vinyl double-hung sashes. At the west end of the house, a shed roof serves as a second floor balcony and covers a first floor deck. An interior stepped chimney is centrally located in the house.

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