Historic directional markers at SW 78th and the Fanno Creek Trail, at the Fredrickson Wormwood Manor

Firlock Lane (now SW 78th Avenue) was a major street in Garden Home, especially after 1908 when the Oregon Electric trains came. Firlock Lane ran from Garden Home Road north to the railroad tracks, where the Firlock Station shed stood next to the tracks. This was the original entry to the nine-hole Portland Golf Club until the current clubhouse was built on SW Scholls Ferry in 1928. The Aaron Frank farm was located across the tracks from the Firlock Station where they were able to load their show horses on the train for events in California or even Madison Square Garden in New York.

Louise Cook Jones list of residents

Louise Cook Jones has developed this list of the residents who lived on Firlock Lane in the early and mid 1900s. Many of these families were well-known in Garden Home, including the Poutala family who created and sold Firlock paint. Louise’s parents were Ernest and Melba Cook.

Here’s the names of the residents of Firlock Lane / 78th Avenue, as best we remember – each line is one house, the numbers refer to sequential homeowners:

On the West side of the street, beginning at Garden Home Road, moving toward dead end:

Vick and Ellen Bell (built house)
1. Mr. and Mrs. John Vermuel (built house) 3. John and Leah Vantzelfden, 4. Ernest and Melba Cook 5. woman who worked at PSU 6. The Tufts Family
1. Mr. and Mrs. Clark (owned land) 2. Mr. and Mrs. John Vermuel (built house) 3. The Tuft Family
1. Mr. and Mrs. Vermuel (owned land) 2. Phil and Marie Mistler (built house)
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Wood
Carlo and Iris Poutala
Mr. and Mrs. Hess
Mr. and Mrs. Ganguine
The Haden family
The George family
Mr. and Mrs. Nichols
Mr. and Mrs. Fredrickson
1. Bobbie Henderson (secretary Garden Home School) 2. Patty Jo James R.N.
1. The Stark family 2. The Pleasant family

On the East side of the street, beginning at GH Road:
Bill and Fama Partlow
1. Jim and Yvonne Partlow 2. Mr. and Mrs. Kickbush
1. Mel and Betts Hare 2. Steve Hare
Mr. and Mrs. Vermillion
1. Bill and Fama Partlow (before they built new house) 2. Karen McGuire
Mr. and Mrs. Watts
1. The Cates Family 2. The Hilldom Family
1. Mr. and Mrs. Shed 2. Vicky Shed
The Edwards Family
1. The King Family 2. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Dardis