National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

NPS Form 10-900-A 0MB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section Number: _7_ Page: 14 Geneva-Minnesota Historic District, Medford, OR
ID No: 009
Historic Name: George Porter House Year Built: 1922
Address: 826 Minnesota Legal: 37S-1W-30AB, Tax Lot 13600
Humphrey-Andrews Addn, Block 2, Lot(s) 9, w. 1/2 lot 8
Architect: Clark, Frank Chamberlain Builder(s):
Style: Historic Period Primary Contributing
Constructed in 1922 as a part of the second major building phase in the Geneva-Minnesota District,
the George Porter House was designed by local architect Frank Chamberlain Clark. Originally a
single story structure, the house is distinguished by its unusual open-gable front porch with an
arched opening and paired doric columns. Oversized dentil-like projections line the soffit. Double
drop siding, flared at the foundation skirt, massively-scaled eave returns and multiple-light windows
in three-part groupings all remain from original construction. Located upon a raised site, behind the
concrete retaining wall typical of the Minnesota development, the Porter House site is well
landscaped with mature plantings, particularly the huge conifer to the northwest of the house. A
hipped-roof garage is located to the rear east, accessed via the concrete driveway the property shares
with 828 Minnesota. Some evidence suggests an historic addition to the rear although this has not
been confirmed. Family members report under Porter Family ownership that house was always
painted white with a fire engine red front door.30 An open porch, formerly located at the extreme
northeast corner, was enclosed post-1949. In the 1982 survey of architect dark's works, the Porter
House was designated as Site 40 and ranked secondary.
George Watts Porter, the original owner of the subject property, was the owner and president of the
Porter Lumber Company, a large local concern. Porter arrived in Medford with his parents in 1888,
lived on East Main Street just outside the Geneva-Minnesota District boundary, and was educated in
the local school system. After rising to the position of foreman of the Big Pines Lumber Company,
owned by H. A. Thierolf (see Site 10), Porter left after 18 years and started his own firm, an action
which ultimately lead, at least in part to Thierolf s selling the Minnesota Street house that shared a
drive with his former employee. 31 Porter was active politically, serving as both a city councilman
and, from 1934 to 1937 as Medford's mayor. He died at age 86 at the Minnesota Street house.32
30 Izola Theis, personal communication with the author, 23-March-1993. Mrs. Theis grew up "just down the
street" from her Uncle George and Aunt Maude Porter.
31 Roland A. Hubbard, personal communication with the author, 24-February-1993. Mr. Hubbard, now 96 years
old, lived at three of the nominated structures from 1918 to the early 1950s, one of which he had built for
his family in 1922. His active memory and far-reaching firsthand recollections of the events and
personalities that shaped the Geneva-Minnesota District were invaluable in the preparation of this
nomination.
32 See Capitol's Who's Who, 1948-1948, (Portland, Capitol Publishing Co., 1949), 451 and "George W.
Porter," (Obituary), Medford Mail Tribune, 9-October-1969.