So proud is Astoria of its history and architectural heritage that enlargements of vintage streetscapes hang in the windows of downtown buildings.
These two photos capture the same stretch of Commercial Streets several years apart.
Judging by the style of the cars on the left, I’d say the photo was taken in the 1920s. However, it would have to be after 1922, the year of the great fire, because what we see here is the new downtown that came into existence around 1924.
The photo on the left is dated 1935.
Let’s see what we can learn about the businesses whose names appear on the signs.
LEFT: 1920s
Fellman’s Department Store
Morton Nelson Building
1343 Commercial Street
Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 576 – 579
Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
WERNER H. FELLMAN, a progressive and enterprising citizen of Astoria, owns one of the largest department stores in the city, as well as one of its prosperous industries, and is regarded as one of the community’s most valuable citizens, having shown a helpful and effective interest in local public affairs. Mr. Fellman was born in Uleaborg, Finland, on the 14th of February, 1881, and is a son of Abram and Maria (Elfving) Fellman, also natives of that country, where the mother is still living. The father, who is deceased, was a university graduate and a successful merchant and was prominent and influential in his community, and the Fellman family has played a prominent part, educationally, financially and in a business way in Finland since 1582. To Abram Fellman and his wife were born six children, of whom four are living.
Werner H. Fellman is the oldest and the only one to come to the United States. He attended private schools for four years, had six years of high school work and four and a half years in Brahestad Borgare and Handelsskola College, in Brahestad. On completing his college work he took a postion as bookkeeper in a mercantile establishment, and later served as cashier for a large logging company for nine months.
In 1902 Mr. Fellman came to the United States, locating in Astoria, Oregon, where he went to work as a shipping clerk for the Hammond Lumber Company. Later he was employed for a few months in H. H. Zaph’s furniture store, going from there to David Shanahan’s furniture store. Six months later he was made manager of the store, which position he held for one and a half years, and then, desirous to see more of the United States, he went to Reedley, Fresno county, California, where he bought a farm. He planted it to peaches, grapes and oranges, and soon afterward sold it at a good profit.
He then returned to Astoria and bought the Shanahan furniture store, which he enlarged, increasing the stock, putting in the largest and finest stock of furniture on the lower Columbia river, doing business under the name of Astoria Furniture Company.
In the big fire of December, 1922, Mr. Fellman lost heavily, but with the enterprising spirit which has characterized him in all of his business career here, he at once erected a fine two-story and basement concrete building, seventy-five by one hundred and twenty-five feet, in one of the best business locations in the city, and in this building he has one of the most complete lines of goods to be found in this section of the state, carrying, besides furniture, floor coverings, crockery, stoves, women’s ready-to-wear, dry goods, millinery, and men’s goods, and the rapid and steady growth of his business has abundantly vindicated his judgment in making the additions to his original line.
In November, 1925, Mr. Fellman still further enlarged his scope of operations by buying together with Mr. Frank Patton, Astoria Banker, the Freeland Table Company’s factory in Astoria. It was a small plant, which has been replaced by a fine new factory building, one hundred and seventy-five by one hundred and ninety feet, in which is now installed a complete equipment of most modern wood working machinery, and here he is now producing high grade furniture. He uses native wood, principally alder, with walnut and mahogany veneer, and specializes in making dining room suites, tables, ladies’ desks and secretaries and novelty furniture of all kinds. The factory employs several traveling salesmen and fifty-five men, many of whom are skilled and highly paid workmen, while in the store he employs from twenty to thirty clerks, salesmen, and women. The factory products find ready sale throughout Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, British Columbia and the Hawaiian islands.
/ / /
Mr. Fellman is a member of Temple Lodge, No. 7, A. F. & A. M.; belongs to all of the bodies of the York and Scottish Rites; Al Kader Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., at Portland; Astoria Lodge No. 180, B. P. O. E.; the Modern Woodmen of America, the Finnish Brotherhood and the Astoria Golf and Country Club.
For many years he was chairman of the Merchants Association, a director of the Chamber of Commerce and also its vice president. He served on the school board of Astoria two terms, also as chairman one term, and was chairman of the building committee at the time the city expended three hundred thousand dollars for new school buildings.
Mr. Fellman gave freely of his time in supervising the erection of these buildings, in order to protect the city’s interests, and today Astoria’s schools are second to none in the state.
In 1923 Mr. Fellman was appointed Finnish consul for the entire northwest, but, because of the pressure of his private business, he had his jurisdiction cut down in 1925 to include only the state of Oregon, and he is still serving in that capacity. In the discharge of his duties as consul he has made one return trip to Europe where he has been knighted into the Order of the White Rose, first class of Finland.
He is a keen student of public affairs, being well versed in political economy, and has shown himself a capable and successful
man in every relation in which he has been placed, being a man of high principles and true to his obligations of every character. Cordial and friendly in manner, he has a host of loyal friends throughout the community in which he lives and is highly regarded by all who know him.
Photo: www.usgwarchives.net/or/clatsop/photos/bios/fellman1275gb…
Photo size: 127 Kb
File at: files.usgwarchives.net/or/clatsop/bios/fellman1275gbs.txt
=========================================================================================================================
Barton Hotel
M. H. Smith Building
1255 – 1271 Commercial Street
In the heart of the Astoria Downtown Historic District, the Commodore Hotel occupies the 1925 Lewis Building, designed by John E. Wicks, Astoria’s most influential architect. The hotel operated from 1925 until 1968, first as the Barton Inn Hotel and then as the Commodore. Shuttered for 40 years, the Commodore reopened in 2009 after an extraordinary renovation. Retaining the original doors, windows, woodwork, and fixtures-all meticulously rehabilitated-the Commodore is now a shining example of the highest standards of contemporary design and construction. The Commodore shares the historic Lewis Building with the legendary Street 14 Coffee, which you can enter directly from the lobby.
www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60806-d1459447-Reviews-…
=======================
On April 6, 1923, Dr. M.H. Smith, local physician and surgeon, announced he was having plans and specifications drawn up for a business block on the north side of Commercial Street between Twelfth and Fourteenth Streets. On April 15, 1924, a building permit was granted to contractor John Hedstrom for the construction of a $20,000, one-story concrete building for Dr. M.H. Smith.
On May 17, 1924, Dr. Smith announced that the building was to be a three-story structure. The two top floors were be used as a 36-room hotel while the ground floor was suitable for offices and shops. On August 11, 1924, it was announced that Mrs. Katherine E. Barton of Portland had leased the hotel portion of the building. The Barton Hotel opened for business on October 25th [, 1924].
=========================================================================================================================
By October 29, 1924, the Smith Building was fully occupied; Byler’s Variety Store occupied the eastern storefront, Johnson Optical Store was located in the middle of the building and Coffeeland Grocery Store occupied the western portion of the building.
=========================================================================================================================
RIGHT: 1935
Imperial Grill
1312 Commercial Street
Another new building for Astoria’s reconstructed district was announced on May 28, 1924, when it became known that Mrs. Mary F. Dealy and Mrs. J.S. Malone would erect a one-story structure on their property on the north side of Commercial Street between Twelfth and Fourteenth. It was also learned at this time that the building would be leased by M.B. Gallagher, proprietor of the Imperial Grill. On September 21, 1924, a building permit for the amount of $15,000 was issued to contractor John Hedstrom for the erection of this 25’x 95′, concrete building. The Imperial Grill Restaurant occupied this building from 1925 through 1952. It currently houses Columbia
Chocolates.
If restored, this building would be significant for its contribution to the streetscape. It is locally significant for its long term tenant, the Imperial Grill.
Siddal Hotel
1255 – 1271 Commercial Street
On March 18, 1931, Mark Siddal, Sr., leased the Smith Building and in addition to locating his sporting goods store there, he took over management of the hotel. The hotel portion was remodeled and renamed the Siddall Hotel. The hotel burned Febmary 22, 1952, but was quickly repaired and rebuilt. The building currently houses the Siddall Apartments, an office for the community police and the downtown caretaker and shops called Downtown Thrift, Let It Rain and Astoria Health Foods.
