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: 8 Page: 4 Geneva-Minnesota Historic District, Medford, OR
DEVELOPERS:
The Geneva-Minnesota District consists of two separate additions to the city of Medford, the
Humphrey-Knight and Humphrey-Andrews, both filed in December 1910. Humphrey-Knight
contains twenty-two lots, fronting on either side of Geneva, between East Main (originally
Seventh Street) and a 20' foot wide alley located approximately 120' west of and parallel to
Sherman Street. The Humphrey-Andrews Addition lines either side of Minnesota Street, from
Geneva to Crater Lake Avenue [at that time called "Roosevelt"] The Humphrey-Andrews
Addition contains 21 lots, including four which front on Crater Lake Avenue.
Henry Humphrey (b. 1827) and his son, William Humphrey (b. 1850), were apparently the
individuals primarily responsible for the original development of the subject additions. Henry was
originally from New York state and William was born in Minnesota. 7 Both men were active in
Medford real estate during the boom period and William Humphrey owned and operated his own
agency, receiving frequent mentions in the local press regarding various land transactions. The
Humphreys developed most of the eastern side of Geneva Street, building houses on speculation,
along with the few early dwellings on Minnesota. The end of the orchard boom, and the sudden
decline of real estate values in Medford, found the Humphrey's over-extended financially and by
1914 they assigned control of all their property, including much of the two subject additions, to
J.W. Wakefield. Sometime prior to 1920 the Humphreys had left the Medford area and
apparently ended all financial involvement with the Geneva-Minnesota District. 8 No additional
information regarding either Henry or William Humphrey could be located for this project.
The colorful Edward Andrews joined with William Humphrey in the development of the
Humphrey-Andrews addition, that portion of the district lining Minnesota Street. Ed Andrews
was a leader of the famous Andrews Opera Company of Minnesota prior to relocating to the
Rogue Valley. The company, dominated by the various members of the Andrews family, had
begun as a traveling band covering the midwest in the late 1870s and soon had developed an
The Humphreys connection to New York and Minnesota, coupled with the similar background of many of the
other individuals involved, likely accounts for the street names used in the new development.
See JCD 107:335, 18-November-1914. At that time Henry and William Humphrey assigned ownership of all
of Block 1 in the Humphrey-Knight Addition to Wakefield except for Lot 8, which was held as a
homestead. They also assigned Lots 2-6, 8 and 10 of Humphrey-Andrews plus numerous other lots within
Medford. The listing of creditors in this document includes many local contractors, presumably companies
that were involved in building the "spec" houses on Geneva Street.