Laughlin+Hotel

The Laughlin Hotel, aka Hotel Oregon (1904-1959) (Water Tower on right hand side, built c.1890s)


 * "...a handsome three story frame building with full basement, appointed with all the modern conveniences...23 spacious bed rooms lighted with electricity and in case of emergency a larger number of rooms are available." **Board of Trade Supplement, //Washington County News//, April 1908** (EGS Box1/Folder13/Position3)


 * "No other town of this size in the state of for that part the entire West can boast of such a well managed and comfortable hotel as The Laughlin. Absolutely nothing is lacking that the up-to-date, high class hostelry should have...It is a commodious structure with electric light, hot and cold water baths and all other modern conveniences...The rooms are large and handsomely furnished. The table is excellent and the service is prompt and courteous, and Mr. and Mrs. Laughlin, the popular proprietors know just how to deal with the traveling public and they enjoy a large local patronage as well. They opened their doors to do business with the public the 15th Day of last February...for the traveler, the pleasure seeker, the tourist, the student the officeman and merchant will find this section, with its hills and dales, forests and groves, Oregon's 'garden of the gods'..." **"Forest Grove in Biography," //Washington County News// 6/30/190** (EGS Box1/Folder6/Position14a)


 * “Down through the years the hotel changed with the times, serving for a period as a bus depot with owner Tom Dyer combining the assignment of innkeeper with that of selling bus tickets. Without extra charge he always had a story for those who took the time to pause and listen.” **On owner / innkeeper Mr. Tomas Dyer, WCNT (7/9/1959)**

Q: I heard the building moved a block over. Where did it move to? A: I found no evidence of it moving. It did close for a week or two when it was renamed.
 * Questions**


 * Timeline**
 * 1903 ||  || Built during this year, 8 workers, no electric saws (see demolition article in WCNT July, 9 1959). Cost between 6000 - 7000 dollars. Architect and contractor E.A. Jerome, plans published in WCNT 7/24/03.
 * "Lee Sparks, retired Forest Grove contractor and builder, was foreman of the construction crew. He recalls...lumber was hauled to Forest Grove from the Lyda Lumber Co. near Gales Creek." (//Oregonian// 8/2/1959) ||  ||   ||
 * 1904 ||  || Opened February 15th for Bedford H. Laughlin (owner) by E.A. Jerome (architect/contractor) ||   ||   ||
 * 1908 ||  || Confirmed: Located on the corner of Pacific and A St. (2004 A Street) ||   ||   ||
 * 1910 ||  || Mr. Laughlin puts the building up for sale "due to ill health," calls it "the most modern hotel in Washington County." (//News Times//, 7/28/1910) ||   ||   ||
 * 1912 ||  || Sold to WFG Thatcherto to take over September 1st and renovate (and to later resume table service) (//News Times// 8/1/1912) ||   ||   ||
 * 1914 ||  || Fire at hotel November 9th (//News Times// 11/14/1914) in the early morning, the volunteer fire department responded but couldn't prevent "the whole upper story being burned off and much of the second floor destroyed," as well as flooding throughout. The cause was reported to be a "defective flue." ||   ||   ||
 * 1915 ||  || Fire at hotel again January 20th (//News Times// 1/21/1915) in the middle of the night, just after reconstruction was completed:
 * "...there had been no fire in the building except that which was placed in the office stove at about 7 o'clock, which was only two small sticks of wood. How the fire originated is a mystery, as it seemed to be in the basement of the hotel, and had burned through the stairway when the fire company arrived. There seemed to be no fire directly around the stove and the floor was not burned around it...there was no one in the hotel at the time of the fire, as the carpenter work had just been completed that day, we are told." ||  ||   ||
 * 1922 ||  || Name changed from Laughlin to Hotel Oregon (//News Times// 3/16/1922) ||   ||   ||
 * 1959 ||  || Demolition of building in July ||   ||   ||