720 11th Street

JAMES AND SARAH ROAKE HOUSE -- Statement of Significance: In 1891, James and Sarah Roake purchased this property. Mr. Roake operated a sulfur mill in Oregon City, which was destroyed by the 1890 flood. After recovering his losses, he established the Oregon City Foundry, which his son John Albert Roake (903 Madison Street) developed into a large city business. The Foundry operated for three generations before finally closing in the 1950s. The Roakes continued to own this property until 1933, when it was sold to John and Ivy Crawford. John was a carpenter at the CWP Company, who in 1944 transferred the house to another CWP employee, Frank Fisher and his wife Della, a musician. Mrs. Fisher continued to occupy this residence following her husband's death in the mid-1950s. In 1964, she sold the house in 1964 to Arba and Gertrude McPaul, a retired couple who resided in the house until 1971.

This two story Queen Anne house sits under a gable roof with an L-shaped plan. A rectangular tower is present at the inside corner of the L, topped by a steep pyramidal roof. The house has modest Queen Anne ornamentation, with coved imbrications at the gable ends above a belt course that is a continuation of the frieze and rake boards on the house. Below the shingled gable ends, the house is clad with horizontal Vgroove drop siding, finished with cornerboards. A small porch is present on the northeast corner of the house, with a hip roof supported by a single turned column. Two engaged turned columns frame the porch. An octagonal bay is present on the north side of the house, just west of the porch. The area beneath the windows in the bay contains recessed panels above the full water table that encircles the house. The windows are all 1/1 double-hung wood sash with board trim and decorative hood and apron moldings. The eaves are enclosed, and feature round galvanized gutters. A small garage, built recently, is located just west of the house. It sits under a gable roof and is clad with board and batten siding with imbrications matching the house in the gable ends.

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