Crosley+House

=The William H. Crosley House - **1905 21st Avenue**=

1905 21st Ave //Forest Grove Inventory of Cultural Resources// (1985)
 * Document:**
 * The William H. Crosley House, c.1890**

"__ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION__ This is a large two-and-one-half-story building designed in a basically Queen Anne style. This style is evidenced in the multiple, high-gable roof sections, a wrap-around porch with hip roof and a projecting gable over the main entrance, and various elements of detail. For example, a band of vertical shiplap runs around the building just under the eaves; elsewhere siding is horizontal shiplap. There are also round columns supporting the wrap-around porch and ornamental trim running from the tops of these columns under the porch eaves. Windows throughout are double-hung, one-over-one, except for one fixed, rectangular window in each pedimented gable.

__CONTEXTUAL DESCRIPTION__ This house is located on a large corner lot on the north edge of the downtown business district. There are a number of older, well-kept houses on this block. To the south and east along 21st Avenue, are retail shops and parking lots. The house is situated back from both adjacent streets with a large lawn area in front and tall shrubs up against the south and west sides of the building.

HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE This house is interesting primarily because it has remained relatively unaltered since its construction in 1895. The ornamentation, detail work, and siding patterns (horizontal shiplap, vertical band, and imbricated shingles) also add interest. The original owner of this house, a Mr. Crosley, was Forest Grove Postmaster when he had the house built."

By Jessie Sweeney, MLS
 * Essay:**
 * The William H. Crosley House**

Forest Grove has a rich history going back to its founding by Oregon Trail pioneers in 1841. The city is full of protected historic home sites all over the city, including the Downtown, Clark, Naylor, and Southside Districts. A complete listing and links to information regarding these sites can be found at the city’s website. However one original historic home is no longer standing. Read on to find out more about the Crosley House.

The Crosley house was built by William H. Crosley, Forest Grove Postmaster, in 1895 on the corner of A Street and 21st Avenue, then called North First Avenue (The News Times, 12/9/1992). The lot was the original site of Stephen and Parthena Blank’s house, known as “The Old Stage Coach Stop” (2117 A St). According to notes taken by Eric Stewart, the year that the Old Stage Coach Stop was built is unknown, but “the inside of the walls [were] lined with 1859 newspapers to keep out the wind thus proving it was built some time before that.” (Eric Stewart Collection Box 15, Folder 1, Item 32.) Crosley was a civil war veteran, wagon maker by trade, and postmaster of Forest Grove. S.G. Hughes wired the house to provide electric lights inside, as “electricity was just being introduced into the town at the time of the Crosley House construction.” (The News Times, 12/9/1992). His son, Harry A. Crosley, was one of the early Forest Grove photographers who owned a studio above the post office. William Crosley lived in the house for only three years before he died in 1898, and after ownership of the property passed through several hands, the Forest Grove Woman’s Club took it over in 1925. At some point in the 1980’s it was converted to multi-apartment lodging.

In 1989, Paul McGilva, owner and president of Times Litho, had plans to make Forest Grove a destination point. He thought the city must do something to draw tourists to the area. “McGilva says the city does not have the money for expensive urban renewal projects. So, he is using Times Litho as the driving force behind his own urban renewal.” (Crosley house’s future sparks controversy, News-Times, 9/6/1989, 22-13-22). The same article went on to quote “‘One of my personal goals is that Times Litho controls this block,’ McGilva says. ‘I’m going to outlast some of these people. I’ll just have to take it lot by lot.’”
 * Destruction plans**

In order to accomplish his plans, McGilva had to put in more employee parking spaces, which were required to be built within 500 feet of the Times Litho property. For this purpose he purchased the lots at 1905 Pacific and 2117 21st St (now A Street).

“He realizes that the house may have historic value, but the Crosley house has not been listed as a landmark by the Historical Society, and McGilva says that restoring the house would not be feasible for him at this time; it would cost too much and he wants to use the lot for another 20 parking spaces.” (News-Times, 9/6/1989)

Gladys Haynes and other members of the Forest Grove’s Historic Landmarks Board were distressed over the looming plans to destroy a city landmark, and had the project delayed until a solution could present itself. “In the summer of 1990, Dennis and Amy Erickson of Hillsboro fell in love with the Crosley House, and wanted desperately to move it to their property several miles southeast of Forest Grove. Dismantling and moving this three story house would have been a challenge they realized, but they were willing to try,” (News-Times 12/9/1992). With the threatened demolition not far away, the couple engaged with architect Alfred Staehli to prepare notes and measurements for the project.
 * Others Concerned for Historic Value**

One day in August of 1990, “a demolition machine appeared and reduced the house to splinters in a matter of hours.” News-Times 12/9/92. Despite this heartbreaking event, the Erikson’s were able to use the notes and measurements already prepared to produce a replica of the historic house in the hills south of Cornelius. “Another testament to one of the downbeats of progress, the concrete parking lot at 21st and A is evidence of the site of a list treasure” News-Times 12/9/92. Despite efforts to preserve another historic site in Forest Grove’s History, concrete now covers the site of the original hotel/house.
 * It Came Without Warning…**

Here is what the lot looks like today (via Google Maps):