233 SW Front Street
The Fechheimer & White Building is one of the best preserved of Portland cast iron buildings. The building was constructed around 1885, although some sources also give the year as 1870.
The quality of the cast-iron work is excellent. It was cast by the Willamette Iron and Steel Company and is a delightful example of a cast iron building which has been well maintained and carefully restored. The entrance steps are granite rather than cast iron.
A Willamette Iron Works maker plate appears on the column to the right.
Renovation and Use
The building underwent extensive renovation that included seismic upgrades, interior improvements, new doors and hardware, and reconfigured office spaces on upper floors. Over time the building has been used for offices, a clothing store, warehousing and a drug store. It is a piece of history showing how Portland’s commercial districts looked in the 1800’s.
When you walk by it, you’re seeing a building that has stood for well over140 years, survived many changes, and continues to tell a story.
____________________________________________________________________________
Discussion Questions:
Can you imagine the whole street being lined with buildings like this?
Vocabulary:
Seismic upgrade – reinforcing a buildings foundation, walls, roof and chimney to resist earthquake shaking
_____________________________________________________________________________
State Education Standards:
VA.7.RE1.3 Distinguish between different types of art and determine messages communicated. Responding-Perceive and analyze artistic work.
Social Studies 3.11. Describe how individuals, groups, events, and developments have shaped the communities and regions. Historical Knowledge
Social Studies 3.12. Compare and contrast the history of the local community to other communities in the region. Historical Knowledge
Social Studies 3.13. Apply research skills and technologies to gather information about the past in a region. Historical Thinking
Social Studies 3.17. Use a variety of historical sources (artifacts, pictures, documents) to identify factual evidence. Historical Thinking