Hines+House

The Hines House, c.1859 1604 Birch Street //Forest Grove Inventory of Cultural Resources// (1985)

"The original owner and builder of this house was Thomas M. Hines, an 1848 Oregon pioneer. Born in 1819 in Missouri, he was married to Mary Buckingham of Pennsylvania, in 1842. They departed for Oregon in May, 1848, arriving in Yamhill County in September of that year. After that first winter, the Hines family settled in Washington County on a 640 acre donation land claim near what is now known as Cherry Grove. Except for a short gold mining expedition to California, in 1849, the Hines family remained on this land claim until 1858. In this year, Hines came to Forest Grove and purchased a 419 acre farm that was situated on the south side of town. It is thought that the house was built soon after the purchase of the farm. Mr. and Mrs. Hines and their three sons, Cicero, George and Charles, resided on the farm until 1882, at which point Thomas Hines sub-divided and sold the entire farm property. An 1893 biographical sketch states that soon after this sale, Hines successfully dealt in real estate until his retirement to "a nice home in Forest Grove."

According to grandson Willis Hines, the old house was moved about two blocks north to its present location in the 1880s, probably soon after the farm was subdivided. Because the house is not on its original site, it is difficult to track successive ownership of the house using tax records and public files. A Mrs. Martha J. Whitney resided here in 1909. The next known occupants of the house were the Walt James family. As newlyweds in 1934, the Arnold Lindstroms rented the house from the James'. The James family lost the house to a finance company during the depression, preventing the Linstroms from purchasing the home until 1941, when the title cleared. Mrs. Harriette (Lindstrom) Lewis has lived in this house for nearly fifty years (in 1985).

As stated...the exterior alterations to the Hines house have been minimal, leaving its integrity intact. The significance of this resource is based on its early building date, and rare Classic Revival architectural style. With a building date of ca. 1859, it may be the oldest, documented house within the Forest Grove City limits. This, coupled with its association with the Thomas Hines and the Lindstrom families, enforces the important role this resource has played in the City of Forest Grove."

See also Hines House # 2 (2002), by City of Forest Grove.