RECEIVED 2280 NFS Form 10-900 OMB No. 10024-0018 (Oct. 1990) Oregon WordPerfect 6.0 Format (Revised July 1998) National Register of Historic Places iC PLACES Registration Form • NATIONAL : A SERVICE This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations of eligibility for individual properties or districts. See instructions in How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Form (National Register Bulletin 16A). Complete each item by marking Y in the appropriate box or by entering the information requested. If an item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A"for "not applicable. For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. Place additional entries and narrative items on continuation sheets (NFS Form 10-900a). Use a typewriter, word processor, or computer to complete all items. 1. Name of Property historic name The La Grande Commercial Historic District other names/site number N/A 2. Location street & number Roughly bounded by the U.P Railroad tracts along Jefferson St, on __not for publication the north; Greenwood and Cove streets on the east; Washington St. on __ vicinity the south; & Fourth St. on the west. city or town La Grande state Oregon code OR county Union code 61 zip code 97850 3. State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this ^nomination request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property Xmeets _does not meet the National Register criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant .^nationally ^.statewide jftocatty. (_ See continuation sheet for additional comments.) ' July 6, 2001 Signature of certifying official/Title/Deputy Date SHPu Oregon State Historic Preservation Office State or Federal agency and bureau In my opinion, the property _meets __does not meet the National Register criteria. (_ See continuation sheet for additional comments.) Signature of certifying official/Title Date State or Federal agency and bureau 4. Nalfonal Park Service Certification 1 hereby certify that this property is: Signature of Date of Action entered in the National Register. _ See continuation sheet. .determined eligible for the National Register. __See continuation sheet. .determined not eligible for the National Register, .removed from the National Register. .other, (explain:)_ La Grande Commercial Historic District La Grande. Union County. Oregon Name of Property City, County, and State 5. Classification Ownership of Property Category of Property Number of Resources within Property (Check as many boxes as apply) (Check only one box) (Do not include previously listed resources in the count.) X private — building(s) Contributing Non-contributing 2£__ public-local X district 56 35 buildings „___ public-State ^site sites ___ public-Federal _ structure structures _ object 1 objects 57 35 Total Name of related multiple property listing Number of contributing resources previously (Enter "N/A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing.) listed in the National Register N/A 6. Function or Use Historic Functions Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions) (Enter categories from instructions) COMMERCE: Warehouse, Office, Specialty shop COMMERCE: Warehouse, Office, Specialty shop Department store, Financial Department store, Financial SOCIAL HALL: Fraternal Hall SOCIAL HALL: Fraternal Hall GOVERNMENT: Federal Building GOVERNMENT: City Hall TRANSPORTATION: Depot TRANSPORTATION: Depot DOMESTIC: Hotel RECREATION: Theater RECREATION: Theater 7. Description Architectural Classification Materials (Enter categories from instructions) (Enter categories from instructions) Italianate, Gothic, Renaissance, Mission, Foundation. Concrete, Brick, Stone 20th Century Commercial, Vernacular Walls: Concrete, Brick, Stone Roof: Rolled roofing; built-up roofing Other: N/A Narrative Description (Describe the historic and current condition of the property on one or more continuation sheets.) 2LSee continuation sheet(s) for Section No. 7 NFS Form 10-900-a QMB Approv* Ha 1024-0018 «W6) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number 7 Page 1 Summary The La Gande Historic District is an irregular shaped area located in downtown La Grande, Oregon. The District encompasses 42.7 acres and covers portions of fourteen city blocks. The District is located in Township 3 South, Range 38 East, Section 5 in Union County, Oregon. Although primarily commercial in character, the District has other property types within the boundaries including public, transportation, religious, and fraternal resources. The area encompassed in the District was platted on a grid system, although the grid is oriented to the railroad track and is not on a true north-south axis. The District is roughly bounded by the Union Pacific railroad tracks on the north, Cove Avenue and Greenwood Street on the east, Washington Avenue on the south, and Fourth Street on the west. The District encompasses only one addition: Chaplin's Addition. There are 106 individual tax lots in the District: six of the tax lots have two resources; and one resource is located in the public right-of-way. There are 57 Contributing resources in the District dating from 1891 to 1948, and 35 Non-Contributing resources. The Non-Contributing resources include 20 Historic Non- Contributing resources and 15 Non-Contributing resources. There are 17 properties classified as Vacant and five resources have previously been listed in the National Register of Historic Places, therefore, not counted as contributing resources in the District nomination. Almost all of the resources in the District are buildings, however one resource is the base of a clock tower. There are two auxiliary buildings associated with the railroad depot and six features associated with the fire hall/city building (fire engines and equipment). Setting and Topography Union County, located in northeastern Oregon, is situated in the Grande Ronde River Valley. The valley lies in the rainshadow of the Blue Mountain to the west and the Wallowa Mountains to the east. The two mountain ranges are separated north-south by the Indian, Grande Ronde, and Powder Valleys. The Grande Ronde and the Indian valleys are bisected by the Grande Ronde River, one of Oregon's longest rivers. The Powder River runs through the southeast corner of the county near the town of North Powder. The Wallowa and Minam rivers enter the county to the north. Other small valleys, plains, and plateaus make up the county and are primarily used for agriculture, recreation, or grazing. La Grande is located in central Union County which is bounded by Wallowa County on the north and east, Baker and Grant counties on the south, and Umatilla County on the north and west. Whitman, Umatilla, and Wallowa National Forest border the county on the east, west, and north. The Grande Ronde valley lies at the core of Union County, and is the largest and most populated region. The large valley, 35 miles long north-south, varies in elevation from 2,700 to 3,000 feet. The valley is known for its fertile black, sandy loam soil that sustains grasses, grains, vegetables, fruit crops, and a variety of other agricultural operations. MRS Form 10-900-* OMB Approv* No. lOU^Xna (MB) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number 7 Page 2 Union County, population 25,000, spans 2,038 square miles and has eight incorporated towns within its borders: Cove, Echo, Imbler, Island City, North Powder, Summerville, Union, and La Grande. There are several unincorporated communities also in the county. State Highway 30, which becomes Adams Avenue in downtown La Grande, extends northwest to southeast through the city. Interstate 84 parallels Highway 30 through the City of La Grande and southeastward through the county. Highway 203 extends southeast from the center of La Grande and Highways 82/237 extends easterly. La Grande serves as the county seat and is the largest town in the county. The City of La Grande, current population 12,500, is located approximately 52 miles southeast of PendJeton, Oregon, and 45 miles north of Baker, Oregon. The city is located on the western edge of the Grande Ronde Valley about 2,713 feet above sea level. The La Grande Commercial Historic District is located in the center of La Grande on a flat parcel of land. Residential with newer commercial development surrounds the downtown core in all directions. The railroad tracks border the north side of the District. Eastern Oregon University is south of the downtown on a hill overlooking the City. U.S. Highway 30 or Adams Avenue is the main arterial through the Historic District. Boundaries The factors in determining the boundaries for the La Grande Commercial Historic District are based on the interrelationship of historical and visual elements. The visual factors include building styles, uses, types, integrity, and streetscape. Changes in historic character, zoning, and use were also evaluated in making the boundary determination. Historical information and modern in-fill also played a role in the delineation of the District's