SW Broadway and SW Stark Street

Years: 1912-1959

citations & references:

• Per the Per Appendix II – Historical Highlights/Burnside Triangle Walking Tour September 2002:

  Home to lesbian physician and activist Marie Equi during the 1920s

  Equi doctored to poor, indigent, and immigrant classes in Portland, providing abortions and medical care to women in difficult circumstances. Given the poverty of her patients, she only charged them what they could afford. Her medial offices were located in the Lafayette Building, Sixth and Washington.

  As a pacifist, Equi opposed America’s entry into World War I. When the federal government tried her on treason charges, Prosecutor Barnett Goldstein used Equi’s lesbianism against her. Goldstein referred to Equi as an “unsexed woman” and Special Agent William Byron called her a “an anarchist, a degenerate, and an abortionist.”

  In contrast to the federal government, prominent Portlanders and Oregonians supported Equi. Governor Oswald West and the editor of the Oregon Journal offered to testify on her behalf. 

  Equi was ultimately convicted under a recently updated espionage act that “forbade criticism of the U.S. government, the constitution, the military, the flag, navy or uniform.” She subsequently served nine months in San Quentin prison in California.

  In March 1927 the Oregon Journal, recognized Equi as “One Good Samaritan.”

An article in Per the Oregon Journal, January 2, 1905, page 23 shows the Oregon Hotel exterior (not included here) Opposite: Within seven years, a new hotel was being built, bigger and grander, but called The New Oregon Hotel per an article in the Oregonian, August 11, 1912, page 8 see blow.

Below Left: Ad in the Oregon Journal November 15, 1922, page 22 to go dancing at Ye Oregon Grille. Something happened as per the announcement (Below Middle) in the Oregon Journal December 1, 1932, that the Oregon Grille is to be reopened but not as Ye Oregon Grille just Oregon Grille. Per article (Below Right) Per article on Page 3, Oregonian November 20, 1932 new management announced.

Within less than two years, [Below Left] the name is changed again per ad in Oregonian March 31, 1934 – now the Montmare. An ad [Below Right] appears in the Oregon Journal August 29, 1934, it states, “Now playing at Montmartre (Oregon Grille).

Within months the name changes again per ad [Below Left] announcing that Omar’s was opening per Oregon Journal ad of October 12, 1934. But per article [Below Right] an ad in the Oregon Journal, May 10, 1935, page 10 “Omar’s Reopening”.

But soon Omar’s was facing a fine from the OLCC per article [Below Left] in  Oregonian July 12, 1935, page 1. [Below Right] Per article in Oregon Journal, February 5, 1937, page 12, Pub Opens where Omar’s used to be.

Left: Article needs citing

https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/benson_hotel/The Benson Hotel, built in Portland by pioneer lumberman Simon Benson in 1913, was constructed as an annex to the adjacent Oregon Hotel to the south.

Below Left article in the Oregonian, January 23, 1914, page 7 shows that the Oregon Hotel had closed and now is to be reopened. Below Right article states that within a week, a new article came out in the Oregonian January 22, 1914, page 14 The now completed 14 story building once thought to be called the New Oregon Hotel was to be renamed the Benson Hotel.

1920 OriHi 100809

In 1916, this article from the Oregonian December 27, 1916, page 7 shows the owners of Hotel Oregon were thinking about tearing it down and rebuilding, however it was later abandoned.

Oregonian photo

Per National Register application for Benson Hotel: https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/22ce7c8a-81cd-42e5-8580-b5336d5e8da3 “Not being able to compete with the posh interior of the Benson, the Hotel Oregon announced in 1924 that it was closing its doors. For the remainder of the decade the Benson maintained its stature while the Hotel Oregon remained closed. Then in 1932 the Hotel Oregon was refurbished, and under the management of Dickinson, was reopened. Both hotels continued to operate into the 1940's, when in 1944 Keller retired and the Benson was sold to a group of investors headed by Boyd and known as Western Hotels. Boyd continued on in the business as general manager until 1955. In the same year that Keller sold his interests in the hotel in order to retire, the Hotel Oregon was sold to Richard See and Associates for back taxes. See and Associates had also recently purchased the Goodnough and Kraemer buildings, which later were to become part of the Paul Gold Estate which up to today still has many holdings in the city. The Hotel Oregon continued to operate until 1957, when plans were announced to build an annex to the 1913 building. Construction of the addition began in 1957 and was completed in 1959.”

Variety Hall – part of the Oregon Hotel:

331 SW Broadway and SW Stark Street [located in the Oregon Hotel]

• City of Portland Directory, page 2282, 1940 – Variety Hall bsmnt 331 SW Bwy

Names:O

regon Grille (also spelled Oregon Grill)

Montmartre

Omar’s

Pub Quarters

Variety Hall

Ye Oregon Grille is believed to be the first restaurant in the new Hotel Oregon with ad place in Oregonian July 2, 1905, page 7 (Below Left) and Below Right a theatre ad 1907 http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/benson.html

Below Left: It was mentioned as one of the best in the city per an article in Oregonian, July 6, 1911, page 9 and it’s “high grade of musical attractions”. Below Middle: An ad in Oregon Journal July 15, 1913 ‘Ye Oregon Grill Cabaret’. Below Right: Appears that the Ye Ole Grille was more than a place to eat per various ads like page 2 of the Oregon Journal December 7, 1915:

The Variety Hall opens slightly before the Music Hall, though many consider the Music Hall historically significant because of Dorothy Lee McCullough shutting it down in January 1950. The Variety Hall HAD female impersonators in an advertisement November 29, 1937, where the Music Hall began per an ad January 28, 1938, Oregon Daily Journal. It should be noted that The Variety Hall had other entertainment as well. Ad Below Left appars to be the first ad placed for the Variety Hall, September 19, 1937, in The Oregon Daily Journal. Below Right ad is in the November 29, 1937, The Oregon Daily Journal citing ‘female impersonators’. [where the Music Hall began per an ad January 28, 1938, Oregon Daily Journal.]

Below Left article is in the Dec 4, 1937 The Oregon Daily Journal. The last ad announcing female impersonators was in the May 13, 1938, The Oregon Daily Journal

The mention or ad for The Variety Hall was in The Oregon Journal page 27 October 2, 1942.

By 1957 the Oregon Hotel was determined to be part of the past and a “Benson Annex” was built in its place per this photo below of December 1958 from the Oregon Historical Soc. Research Lib., bb006113