Last Fall I reported on the beginning of this project, to
survey an early residential neighborhood west of downtown Medford. Tama has
been out taking photos, and in, entering data into the State’s MS-Access
database. Despite some minor glitches,
she’s pretty much done, having documented more than 800 buildings built prior
to 1964, some 65% of which are at this point considered potentially
historically significant.
It’s a great neighborhood, filled with all sorts of
hidden gems from Medford’s earlier days.
There are vernacular farmhouses, built before this was part of the city
and before the land had been divided into blocks and lots (there are about ten
additions plats in the survey area, including both Summit Addition to Medford
and the Fairmount Addition, hence the name).
After 1900, after the additions were platted, people started to build bungalows, and
craftsmans, and what are termed “foursquares.”
And then, from after WWI, there is the occasional revival style, including some truly
fine Spanish Colonial Revival…stucco buildings with red-tile detailing and
arched windows. And there are even a few
rarities…. a “Prairie” style dwelling and the very rare (for the smaller-town PNW) Streamline
Moderne residence. Housing built after
WWII includes dozens of small minimal-eave tracts, other buildings that were
almost certainly relocated from Camp White, and finally the proverbial Ranch
House. It's a veritable treasure trove
of nearly a century of American residential architecture, documenting Medford’s
founding, boom, lulls and post-war explosion all in one easily walkable, nicely treed, gridded neighborhood.
We will be finishing up the data, drafting the summary
report for the city, and moving this project forward over the next 30
days. It will be interesting to see what
happens next in Summit-Fairmount. There are
LOTS of possibilities. It’s a great
neighborhood, finally getting some recognition.
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