Courtesy of Restore Oregon

The Upper Sandy Guard Station has suffered from gradual neglect and vandalism.

Every building tells a story. From the very foundation to the shingles on the roof, a building tells a story of the people who lived there, of the businesses that have come and gone, of the cultures and communities that created it.

Perhaps because our state has relatively few historic buildings, some Oregonians feel called to protect them, to preserve the history and culture found within. None take up the task with as much passion as Restore Oregon.



The nonprofit has been around since 1977, and in 2011 it started a program called Oregon’s Most Endangered Places, which aims to raise public awareness of the state’s most important, at-risk buildings. The group also works with local communities to find funding for restorations, and occasionally new uses for buildings to help stave off demolition.

On Friday, Restore Oregon announced the 12 most endangered buildings for 2019. As always, a majority of these buildings appeared on last year's list, and many have been on lists prior. That repetition is telling: Simply marking a building as endangered doesn't necessarily offer it protection from deterioration, vandalization or demolition.



But Restore Oregon maintains its goal to “preserve, reuse and pass forward” these historic places. For those who care deeply about our state’s past, it’s an important effort. Because without someone to keep them alive, the stories our older buildings tell will crumble and vanish, taking a rich piece of our history along with them.

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Courtesy of Restore Oregon

1. Astoria Ferry (Tourist No. 2)

Tourist No. 2 is the last remaining ferry from Astoria's once-popular service across the mouth of the Columbia River. Built in 1924, the ferry was in service until 1966, when the Astoria-Megler Bridge made it and other local ferries obsolete. It finally

, intact, but in dire need of a new deck, electrical system and engine.

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Courtesy of Restore Oregon

2. Butte Creek Mill

Built in 1872 near downtown Eagle Point, the Butte Creek Mill survived economic downturns, floods and challenges to its water rights, only to be gutted by

. According to Restore Oregon, the mill stones and key structural elements survived well enough to retain its listing on the National Register of Historic places. An effort to reconstruct the mill is underway.

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Courtesy of Restore Oregon

3. Cumberland Church

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was built in 1892 in east Albany, and today retains its original stained-glass windows, doors and ornate trim. But after 126 years and some recent deferred maintenance, the church is under threat of demolition. Restore Oregon is working with local group Save Our Cumberland Church to find a new use for the building, possibly as a community center.

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Courtesy of Restore Oregon

4. Elks Lodge Medford

The three-story Elks Lodge building in Medford is a testament to a bygone era. Constructed in 1915, the building was ordered closed in 2014 by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. It went up for sale in 2015, and

. According to Restore Oregon, those new owners will need to contend with years of deferred maintenance.

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Courtesy of Restore Oregon

5. Heryford Building

The Heryford Building was the first steel-framed building constructed outside of the Willamette Valley in Oregon, built in 1913 by local rancher and businessman William P. Heryford. Lakeview city officials see the big, three-story building as a possible centerpiece of a downtown revitalization effort.

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Courtesy of Restore Oregon

6. Janzten Beach Carousel

The beloved Jantzen Beach Carousel has at long last been found. Rather, its owners have finally brought it

, after years of silence on its whereabouts. The colorful carousel was built in 1921, and graced Jantzen Beach from 1928 to 2012. Restore Oregon now owns the historic carousel, and the group is actively seeking a new home for it.

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Courtesy of Restore Oregon

7. Robert and Charles Wilson homes

Designed by famed Italian architect Pietro Belluschi, the Robert and Charles Wilson homes in Warm Springs are a great example of mid-century modern architecture. Both, however, are in rough shape, suffering from serious deterioration and neglect. Restore Oregon has been working with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to stabilize the buildings and find a new use for the homes that promotes tribal culture and local tourism.

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Courtesy of Restore Oregon

8. Santiam Pass Ski Lodge

Built in 1940, the Santiam Pass Ski Lodge remained in operation until 1986, and has since been damaged by deterioration and vandals. According to Restore Oregon, the building has new operators who are seeking a long-term lease to repair and eventually re-open the lodge to the public.

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Courtesy of Restore Oregon

9. The Red Barn

The big red barn at the Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center in Union County was built in 1914, and today is understandably worse for wear. The barn has become structurally compromised and will need to be torn down unless a new use can justify the cost of a complete renovation.

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Courtesy of Restore Oregon

10. Upper Sandy Guard Station

Mount Hood hikers might be familiar with the

, found in the Mount Hood National Forest where the Ramona Falls Trail meets the Pacific Crest Trail. The historic cabin was built as part of the New Deal work relief program in the 1930s, but now suffers from gradual neglect and vandalism -- as well as the budgetary constraints of the U.S. Forest Service.

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Courtesy of Restore Oregon

11. Vale Hotel

Built in 1908 and first known as the Drexel Hotel, the Vale Hotel in eastern Oregon once boasted some of the finest lodging in the region. The building hosted a series of businesses over the years, but current owners are working to re-open it as a community arts center. According to Restore Oregon, a redevelopment plan is near completion.

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Courtesy of Restore Oregon

12. Waldron Brothers Drugstore

The Waldron Brothers Drugstore (also known as the Gitchell Building) is the oldest intact building in The Dalles, serving many purposes since its construction in 1864. In addition to a drugstore, the building has been a post office, ticket office, apartment building, local newspaper office, Masonic lodge and even a haunted house. Some repairs were done in 2009, but it now faces demolition.

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--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB

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