620 12th Street

D.W. JAMES HOUSE -- Statement of Significance: Don W. James, a department manager for the Huntley Brothers drug store in Oregon City, purchased this property in 1911 from Thomas F. Ryan, a prominent real estate developer. It is unclear if Ryan or James had the house constructed, but James was the first occupant of the house. James owned the house until 1918, when John and Anna Bowland bought the property and moved into the house. The house remained in the Bowland family until 1943, when Helge Trygg and his wife Juanita bought the property. Helge worked for the Hawley Pulp and Paper Company, and Juanita worked for the Oregon City Laundry. The Trygg's owned the house through the remainder of the historic period and occupied the house until Juanita's death in 1979.

This 1-1/2 story house sits under a side gable roof with a large, shed dormer on the north façade. A recessed porch runs the full width of this façade, with a slightly shallower pitch than the main gable. The porch eave is supported by paired square columns resting on a solid balustrade, clad with the same narrow drop siding as the rest of the house. The siding is finished with wide corner boards that match the dimension of the board trim around the windows. The windows are primarily 1/1 double-hung wood sash, but fixed leaded panes are also present on the first floor of the house. The windows appear singly or in groups, and the groups typically have central double-hung sashes flanked by leaded sashes. Other decorative elements on the house are typical of the bungalow style, including wide barge boards, open eaves, and decorative knee brackets. A full water table encircles the main body of the house, making the transition from the drop siding to the concrete foundation. A small, detached garage is located southeast of the house, with a flat roof and siding that matches the house. A new door has been installed on the garage.

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