Due to an unexpected health episode by yours truly over the Thanksgiving holiday OLHD was unable to schedule a meeting in December. But things are looking up for early 2023. Stay tuned.
The holidays are now upon us and it’s time to celebrate with those we love. OLHD wishes you and yours a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR! We look forward to sharing much more about our local history in 2023.
(The attached photo was found in a very old family book that belonged to my great-grandparents).
Mike Schmeer Chairman, Oak Lodge History Detectives
Thursday Oct. 13, 2022 7:00 P.M. Historic Concord School 3811 SE Concord Rd.
(Upper floor, N.W. corner)
FINALLY! After 2 ½ years of hiatus due to the Covid pandemic the Oak Lodge History Detectives will again be meeting IN PERSON.
The North Clackamas Parks and Recreation District has kindly offered us a space to meet in the historic Concord School. The room is on the upper floor, at the N.W. corner (closest to Spaulding Ave., at the top of that entrance’s stairs). You may access via the Spaulding Ave. entrance, the front “Grand Stairs”, or if you are in need of the elevator you can enter via the Concord Rd. entrance at the south end of the building. [See drawing]
After having waived membership dues for the last 2 years, this meeting will be an opportunity to renew your membership. Come a little early to allow extra time for this. Dues are still $15 per individual, or $20 per couple.
OLHD is also promoting our “First Schools Markers” initiative to raise funds for historic markers at the locations of our first two schools – in 1856 and 1866. In support of this effort we will be offering our new “Hooked on History” T-shirts for sale ($20) and accepting donations. There will also be a 30 minute “Oak Lodge’s First Schools” presentation given on this topic.
After a 2 year hiatus of no in-person OLHD meetings because of Covid, OLHD will FINALLY be meeting again on Oct. 13th, 2022 – – – at the historic Concord School.
As the owner of the Concord complex the North Clackamas Parks and Recreation District (NCPRD) has begun scheduling the use of spaces within the historic school for use by community groups. OLHD has reserved a very nice room at the north end of the building, on the upper floor, for Oct. 13th and hopefully months after. This room will accommodate between 40 and 50 individuals, has a screen and ample electrical outlets, and even A/C if needed. And it is available for our usual meeting times from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Because OLHD suspended annual dues during the pandemic we will be accepting renewals at this meeting. So bring your checkbooks! Your contributions help support an organization dedicated to promoting the place and appreciation of local history in the Oak Lodge area.
We will also be making our new OLHD T-shirts available for sale. Proceeds from these shirts will support our latest “First Schools” initiative designed to place historic markers at the locations of Oak Lodge’s first schools – in 1856 and 1866. You’ll learn more about it at our meeting.
So, SAVE THE DATE of Oct. 13th and join us at Concord School to resume learning about Oak Lodge’s fascinating history. We’ll be sending out reminders, and more details, in the coming weeks.
The link below will take you to the “Preservation: Three Perspectives” presentation I was asked to participate in on June 1st. It was hosted by the Milwaukie Ledding Library, Milwaukie Historical Society, and City of Milwaukie as part of the library’s spring Lecture Series.
I was the last of the four speakers, so my part starts at time stamp 1:32:05. I’ve been told that I’ll be receiving a clip of just my part at a later date.
I was asked to talk about what it’s like living in a historic house, as our house was built by Philip T. Oatfield, of our area’s prominent Oatfield family, in 1922. This was a different type of talk than I usually give – – – – instead of just being about the local history of Oak Lodge, it’s a mix of history and sort of a virtual tour of our house. I am not accustomed to public speaking, so it’s a little rough around the edges. But you’ll get the drift of my message.
Change happens every day in our lives, our community, and in the universe. Without change life would be boring or even nonexistent. But our past, like historic buildings, help tell our story of where we began and what to either repeat or do better in the future.
Milwaukie Museum’s next Ledding Library Lecture Series entitled Preservation: Three Experiences is Wednesday, June 1st at 6:30 PM inside Ledding Library or on Zoom.
This Milwaukie Museum program focuses on topics that help preserve our historic places that we endear in our community and our lives. A State Historic Preservation Office representative will discuss the ins and outs on how to list and take advantage of preserving a historic building, Steve Bennett, Milwaukie Museum records specialist, will teach home research and how to find those unique stories you may not know about your property, Michael Schmeer, a long time resident and owner of an Oatfield property, will share his thoughts and feelings of living and taking care of a historic home, and a special address by Councilor Lisa Batey.
Thanks to our great partners: City of Milwaukie, Ledding Library, and Willamette Falls Studio, it will be live, on Zoom, and taped for future viewing on You Tube. Seating is limited inside the Ledding Library, so come early to reserve your seat. Please check Milwaukie History Museum Facebook page and the City Calendar for more details and links to the event.
Long before Fred Meyer established its presence in Oak Grove the property that it now occupies was owned by two separate land claim holders: Orrin Kellogg’s 1851 Donation Land Claim and George Crow’s 1850 Donation Land Claim. As a result of a complicated 1882 transaction involving John & Celia Fahy, Samuel & A.F. Stein, Charles Bunnell, and Bernard Kluse, the property came into the possession of Orville Risley and his son Jacob S. Risley – just one small part of a 100-acre transaction. Upon the death of Orville Risley on Dec. 11, 1884 the property came into the sole possession of Jacob Risley. Jacob Risley died June 22, 1902, and the property became part of his estate, with his son John F. Risley serving as executor. Jacob Risley’s property holdings exceeded over 300 acres so John proceeded to divide it among Jacob’s three surviving children, Charles W. Risley, John F. Risley and Alice Risley Starkweather. Among other large parcels that she inherited Alice was deeded 7.98 acres that was a part of the S.E. corner of the Crow D.L.C., and Orrin Kellogg’s D.L.C. on Feb. 29, 1904. The property occupied by Fed Meyer today is part of that 7.98 acres.
1904 “Risley Farm”, which shows the 7.98 acre part deeded to Alice Risley Starkweather where Fred Meyer is now
Fast forward to 1928, no doubt following several subsequent ownerships, when the N.E. part of the Fred Meyer property was owned by Ernst Hokenson, and to 1937 when the entire N.E. 2/3 of the property was owned in part by May Montague and J. Archibald. But what about the S.W. 1/3 closest to the intersection of today’s McLoughlin Blvd. and Oak Grove Blvd.?
1937 Metsker Map showing the Fred Meyer property
McLoughlin Blvd. (once called the Super 99) was begun in the early 1930’s and completed, in sections, with a celebration commemorating the completion between Portland and Oregon City in Milwaukie on Dec. 7, 1934. By then the S.W. 1/3 of the Fred Meyer property was owned by David A. Palmblad.
David A. Palmblad in 1910.
Palmblad’s family was from Gresham and he was first trained as a “mechanical optician and lapidist”, and later became the proprietor of a grocery store. About 1925 he was appointed a Clackamas County Deputy Tax Collector, and by 1930 was living on River Rd. in Oak Grove. By 1934 he owned the S.W. 1/3 of today’s Fred Meyer property, and being an entrepreneur he no doubt saw great potential in owning the corner lot at Hwy 99E and what was then Oak Ave. (today’s Oak Grove Blvd.). He and his younger brother Paul N. Palmblad proceeded to build a commercial building at that intersection and leased out spaces to various businesses. A period photo of the building shows McLoughlin being concrete, but Oak Ave. still being gravel.
Palmblad Building at McLoughlin Blvd. and Oak Ave., taken about 1935/1936. McLoughlin Blvd. is paved in concrete; Oak Ave. is gravel.
There was just one problem – in 1936 David Palmblad was caught embezzling some $15,000 tax money from Clackamas County, having admitted to using some of the money to fund his building in Oak Grove. Following an audit, he was tried and fined $30,000, convicted, and sentenced to 5 years in prison.
Oops!
In an effort to recoup the taxpayer’s money and the fine the county sued to foreclose on Palmblad’s property. Without further research we can only assume that Clackamas County gained ownership of the Palmblad building and corner lot, and evidence suggest it was sold in 1938. By 1940 David Palmblad was already out of prison, back with his wife, living in Portland, and operating a restaurant. He died in Portland in 1961.
Clackamas County planning on foreclosing on Palmblad properties.1938 survey in preparation for county sale
The Palmblad building remained at that corner of McLoughlin and Oak Ave., as a store building and tavern, through 1960 – it’s footprint still visible on a survey done for Fred Meyer Inc. in July 1959, and visible in a 1960 aerial photograph. The building was home to the Desert Inn tavern from 1937 until its demolition in 1960, and Fir Garden Auto Service & Grocery in the late 1940’s. The same 1959 survey shows that the Fir Garden Auto Court had also occupied that property just prior to Fred Meyer’s purchase. All of it went away as Fred Meyer Inc. constructed its new super store in 1960.
1959 survey for Fred Meyer Inc showing FM building and elevations, superimposed on existing structures, including Palmblad building
Following Fred Meyer’s opening in July 1960 a service station was built at the corner, followed later by a Minit – Lube, and sometime after 1987 a Jiffy Lube. Eventually the property near Oatfield Rd. was purchased and Fred Meyer’s parking area extended to Oatfield Rd.
1960 Aerial photo showing the Fred Meyer store under construction. Palmblad Building still standing.
OLHD is saddened to have learned of the passing of Enid Briggs, an avid supporter and volunteer for the Milwaukie Museum along with her sister Adele Wilder. OLHD had the pleasure of interviewing the two sisters in 2011, which is available for viewing on a link in OLHD’s website, or directly via the OLHD YouTube channel. Both Enid and Adele were a joy to be around. Our sincere condolences go out to Enid’s family.
Descendants of early Milwaukie residents Johnson Briggs and Fred Birkemeier, Enid Briggs and her sister Adele Briggs Wilder had deep roots in the Milwaukie/Oak Grove area. Their paternal grandfather, Johnson Briggs, arrived in Oregon from Maine about 1900 settling first in Sellwood, then near today’s Briggs Street in Oak Grove. Their maternal grandfather, Fred Birkemeier, arrived in Milwaukie from Germany in 1879 settling near Kellogg Creek, later Kellogg Lake. Both Enid and Adele had been active with the Milwaukie Historical Society and Museum for many years. The Briggs sisters grew up in the Milwaukie/Oak Grove area and until fairly recently shared a home in Oak Grove. Adele passed away in 2018.
The most frequently asked question received by OLHD is “can you tell me the history of my house?”. Unfortunately, our most frequent answer is “sorry, but no”. Only a handful of the thousands of older homes in the Oak Lodge area have had their history documented and recorded. Hundreds of others await a willing homeowner or researcher to discover their history. OLHD can offer some suggestions as to how to go about researching a property’s history, and when undertaken it is always a rewarding experience.
One tool that can greatly help a researcher is the location of an Abstract of Title. Prior to the late 1960’s it was commonplace for the purchaser of a piece of property to receive a physical Abstract of Title from the title company, certifying that the property had clear title and was clear of liens, back taxes, or other encumbrances. These Abstracts recorded the chronological chain of deeds from the original government ownership (generally the Donation Land Claim the property lies in) to the grantor that the purchaser was buying from. They show the names of the Grantor and Grantee, the date, the legal description, and the book and page where the transaction was recorded. Abstracts of Title generally came in a legal sized book form with a hard cover, but one known example (the “Townsite of Concord”) was published as a hard bound booklet. Following the chain of transactions, the purchaser of a piece of property can easily determine how their parcel was divided over and over since the 1850’s or 1860’s to the size they were purchasing. Historians can also use these Abstracts to determine where significant historical sites were once located (for example Orrin Kellogg’s tannery, which was identified in one such Abstract), and even genealogical information.
Even if a homeowner does not have an Abstract of Title for their property, if they can find one from a long-time resident in the neighborhood it may shed a great deal of light on the history of the homeowner’s property. Alternatively, an Abstract of Title should be able to be purchased through a title company, or in some instances the county recorder may be able to help. A few of these Abstracts were spotted at the Clackamas County Family History Society a few years ago, and OLHD has obtained three or four – – – but these are somewhat random, and may, or may not, be pertinent to a given homeowner’s piece of property.
Mike Schmeer Chairman, Oak Lodge History Detectives
If you’re interested in the history of Oak Lodge’s indigenous population prior to the arrival of the Europeans you may be interested in this online zoom presentation – sponsored by the Oak Lodge Governance Project:
David G. Lewis, assistant professor in anthropology and Native studies at Oregon State University, will present to the Oak Lodge Governance Project about “The Lands We Live On” at noon Nov. 13Jan 8th. Lewis’ presentation will examine the history of the Oak Lodge area before the arrival of Europeans and delve into the various tribes and their interconnections. A member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, he traces his ancestry to Santiam Kalapuya, Takelma, Molalla and Chinook peoples.
To attend this presentation you must pre-register at this link:
For those interested in researching their house’s history:The Architectural Heritage Center is holding a four hour class on that topic on Saturday, Nov. 13th at 10:00 a.m.The cost is $10 for non-members of the Architectural Heritage Center.This event is a virtual event, and is Part 1 of a four part series. See the link here.
