National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

NFS 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: 30 Geneva-Minnesota Historic District, Medford, OR
corner with battered support posts. Primary siding in double-drop siding with shingles in the gable
ends. Massive brackets support the wide eaves. Windows are original, primarily 1/1 double hung
with plain board frames. On the east elevation a small 3-part bay window extends from the main
volume. Two small outbuildings, similar in construction to the main house, survive to the rear of the
property. Construction of the Calkins House was concurrent with Glenn O. Taylor's home at 829
Minnesota.
On the lots facing south on Minnesota street, Messrs. Humphrey will erect two
more bungalows which will be modern in every particular and quite as
elaborate as those already mentioned [Sites 7 and Site 25]. These bungalows
will cost, complete, about $3000 each. 80
In December 1913 William Humphrey sold the subject property to P.M. Calkins. 81 Frank Calkins,
trained as an attorney, had apparently just arrived in Medford when he purchased the Minnesota
Street house. Calkins served for 13 years as Judge of the Circuit Court, First District and was widely
respected throughout southern Oregon. In 1922, during a heated election for Calkins seat, which he
had chosen to resign, the local press commented "Judge Calkins is recognized as one of the most
constructive men, an old time republican, always adverse to entering factional controversies and
therefore of wide spread influence..." 82 Following his retirement from the bench, Calkins was
appointed a director of the Jackson County Bank although he does not to appear to have remained in
valley very long, retiring by the mid-1920s to San Diego, California. 83 In 1938 the subject property
was purchased by Raymond Miksche, president of the Monarch Feed Company. The Miksche family
remained the house until 1954. 84
The P.M. Calkins House retains substantial integrity in both appearance and workmanship to its
original design. The impressive siting of the house upon an oversized lot add considerably to its
ability to relate the associations for which it is significant.
80 "East Medford is Awakening," Medford Mail Tribune, 3 l-January-1912, 6:1. The other property referred to
is the Glenn O. Taylor House, Site 21.
81 JCD 98:387, l-December-1913.
82 "Judge Calkins Backs Kelley in Judicial Race," Medford Mail Tribune, 30-October-1922, 1:7.
83 "Judge Calkins Visits Valley," Medford Mail Tribune, 30-May-1929, 2:1.
84 Mary M. Larson, personal communication with the author, 3-March-1993. Mrs. Larson is Raymond
Miksche's daughter.