The Old Market Pub and Brewery

Posted on September 28, 2020 by gardenhomehistoryproject
2020 Old Market Pub – wide view from north, crop
2020 Old Market Pub – south outside
2020 Old Market Pub – outside tables
2020 Old Market Pub – interior artwork

The Old Market Pub and Brewery was opened in 1994 by Andy and Shelly Bigley at the confluence of SW Multnomah Blvd. and SW Garden Home Rd. The main building of the current pub was built in 1945 by the co-operative Garden Home Community Cannery. The building and business was purchased in 1950 by Mark and Leona Whitney, who continued the community cannery service in addition to selling produce and floral arrangements. Frank and Betty Comella opened a fruit and vegetable store here from 1978 into 1992. Andy and Shelly Bigley purchased the Old Market Pub’s building from the Comellas in 1994.

Garden Home Co-op Cannery – Sunday Oregonian July 15 1945
1950 Whitney’s Cannery, Mark Whitney in foreground. See Leona Whitney and the Whitney Cannery. Courtesy Colin Lamb.
Whitney’s Cannery – winter 1969
Comella’s Produce and Flower Center late 1970s
Old Market Pub – early days
Old Market Pub – early days, closeup

The beginning

The Bigleys started with a huge empty space with a leaking roof, hundreds of fluorescent light bulbs, inadequate bathrooms, and almost no walls and no money for renovations. They did have lots of young energy to do all their own demolition, and good friends with architectural and artist talent to help create the interesting Pub of today. They opened the Old Market Pub in 1994.

1994 Old Market Pub – Pub purchased, taking down For Sale sign
1994 Old Market Pub – carpentry to start Pub from Comellas, 1
1994 Old Market Pub – carpentry to start Pub from Comellas, 2
1994 Old Market Pub – carpentry to start Pub from Comellasl, 4
1994 Old Market Pub – Pub opens April 13, 1994, A
1994 Old Market Pub – Pub opens April 13, 1994, B
1994 Old Market Pub – new Pub, April 13, 1994, 3
1994 Old Market Pub – new Pub, April 13, 1994, 1
1994 Old Market Pub – new Pub, April 13, 1994, 2
1994 Old Market Pub – note weight scales from Comellas store
1994 Old Market Pub – pool tables at Pub opening
1994 Old Market Pub – Whitney’s steam tanks, 1
1994 Old Market Pub – left over from Whitneys, 1
1994 Old Market Pub – Whitney’s steam tanks, 2

Andy Bigley had grown up in SW Portland, graduating from Lincoln High. Shelly graduated from Cleveland High on the east side. From an Oregonian story:

“The Bigleys also have leaned heavily on an old adage: location, location, location. The couple opened Old Market a bit off the beaten path for a brewpub, buying a local produce market at the confluence of Southwest Portland’s Garden Home, Ashcreek and Maplewood neighborhoods.”

“They built a place that would be a consistently popular neighborhood draw for a quarter century and counting. ‘I got out of school and I didn’t want to get a real job,’ Andy says. ‘I started working for the McMenamins, and that was one of the funnest jobs I ever had. I had a great time, so I thought, ‘Well, let’s give it a shot.’”

Garden Home History artifacts on display

Thank you to Andy and Shelly Bigley for displaying the historical artifacts that Colin Lamb has so generously given us from his Garden Home Thriftway store which closed in 2019. So stop by the Old Market Pub & Brewery for maybe a Famous Reuben or possibly Mr. Toad’s Wild Red, a dark red ale. While you are there, look around the dining room to find our vintage Garden Home Post Office safe, the two large photos of the Lewis & Clark Centennial Fair of 1905, and three interesting train reliefs which remind us of our railroad history.

2020 Old Market Pub – Garden Home Post Office safe
2020 Old Market Pub – postal eagle plus ready to hang

By Elaine Shreve, August, 2020, from interview with Shelly Bigley.

See also:

Posted in Places | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Luke and Michelle Middlebrooks and the Oregon Electric Railroad Line

Posted on September 20, 2020 by gardenhomehistoryproject

The rails and ties have been pulled up but the old railroad beds from the early 1900s have forever carved their story into Garden Home. The junction of the Garden Home Rail Station was just east of what is now the Old Market Pub on SW Multnomah Boulevard. At this Station, the first Oregon Electric trains came through Garden Home in 1908. By 1916 the single track via the Maplewood trestle was abandoned in favor of a double track from Multnomah and Portland which continued the track going west and another branch leading south through Garden Home. The west rail section is visible on the aerial views and is now known as the Fanno Creek Trail.

1909 Garden Home Train Depot (view from the east)
Garden Home train station
Garden Home train station – rear
1911 Garden Home Railway Depot of the Oregon Electric Railway (note Red Store in background).
Garden Home train station – crowd

This story concerns the Oregon Electric railroad that separated at the junction and took a southerly route to Metzger, Tigard and eventually down the valley to Eugene. The abandoned bed for these rails is visible on our aerial maps and can be seen at SW 71st Ave where a sign cautions that this is now private property.

1913 Plat map for SW Stewart St
Nichols Addition and Blosick Acres map
Middlebrooks tax log map
Section 24 TIS plat map
Section 25 TIS plat map

In 2012, Luke and Michelle Middlebrooks purchased their property at the east end of Stewart Street for their young family. This property includes about 1/8 mile of the old railroad bed. Luke and Michelle were raised in the Portland area. Michelle grew up in the John’s Landing area of SW Portland, and Luke grew up in SE Portland. They purchased their home in 2012 from the Forsman family, who had lived in it since the 1950’s. When the abandoned rail properties were parceled and sold to surrounding home owners in 1977, the Forsman family purchased a stretch and extended two of their tax lots, and created a third tax lot (the rail bed off 71st). The Middlebrooks family purchased all three lots from the Forsmans in 2012 and endeavor to eradicate the invasive blackberry and ivy. 

The tax parcel boundaries are documented on the 11/23/1977 survey that was commissioned by former owner Frank Forsman and plots out the monuments/markers that are the perimeter of the railroad section, and describes how they are in relation to the larger lots the Middlebrooks also own. This portion of the railroad bed is private property and is taxed accordingly.

Middlebrooks railway bed entry at SW 71st
Middlebrooks house on SW Stewart St

Early photos of the home show a typical bungalow look from the front and an enlarged windowed porch in the back where a former owner raised plants.

Middlebrooks home on SW Stewart St, 2013 – front
Middlebrooks home on SW Stewart St, 2013 – rear door
Middlebrooks home on SW Stewart St, 2013 – rear

The railroad bed visible from SW 71st up to the residence area functions as play area for the children and a wildlife corridor. It is about 20 feet wide covered with grass, with ivy up the many trees, and the occasional apple, pear, and plum trees. The railroad bed is elevated about 10-15 feet from the properties on either side as was necessary to keep the railroad at less than a 2% incline. The Oregon Electric Railroad ceased passenger service in 1933 and continued with freight business until 1944 when the rails and ties were pulled up and rail business through Garden Home ceased.

Michelle Middlebrooks, railroad bed
Harold Gjerman, Middlebrooks railroad bed

The Middlebrooks home was built in 1938 in a section platted as Blosick Acres, as noted in the attractive sign Michelle painted for their garage. The Blosick family is believed to have lived in Multnomah and were good friends with the Roshak family as noted in these 1937 snapshots from Deanne Roshak Eng.

1937 Blosick family – Mr. and Mrs. Blosick (Antone and wife)
1937 Blosick family – Mr. and Mrs. Blosick, Julia and her husband
1937 Blosick family – Mr. L A Blosick
1937 Blosick family – Mrs. Blosick and daughter Julie
1937 Blosick family – Mrs. Blosick
1945 Blosick family – (L to R) Deanne Roshak, Bill and Julie, Mr. and Mrs. Blosick
1945 Blosick family – Mrs. Blosick with Harriet Roshak and daughter Deanne Roshak
Blosick Acres sign painted by Michelle Middlebrooks

Michelle Middlebrooks remembers that her great grandparents were married on January 1, 1917 in Lebanon, Oregon. They took the train to the Albany station where they transferred and rode from Albany to Portland. She believes that they must have been on the Oregon Electric Railway that traveled through her front yard! “So incredible to think they passed right through here!”

Story by Elaine Shreve and Michelle Middlebrooks with railroad consultation by Harold Gjerman.

To read more about the demise of the Oregon Electric Railway, see Development of SW Multnomah Boulevard.

Posted in Places, Trains | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

September 2020 Update – Garden Home History Email

Posted on September 9, 2020 by gardenhomehistoryproject

Hello Garden Home History Friends,

Thank you to all of you who have responded so nicely to our monthly Updates about Garden Home history. We are grateful for your stories and photos!

Pumpkins in Garden Home: We’re hoping that your tomatoes are ripening, that you and your family are well, that children are getting ready for a creative new school year, and that everyone has had some fun this summer. Here is a wonderful front yard pumpkin patch seen in Garden Home the first of September!

Garden Home pumpkins Sep 1, 2020

Garden Home pumpkins Sep 1, 2020

Old Market Pub and Brewery: Thanks to the very generous offer from Andy and Shelly Bigley of the Old Market Pub to display some of our artifacts from the Garden Home Thriftway. Stop in for takeout, dine-in, a drink, some pizza, or a sandwich, and check out our two photos from the 1905 Lewis & Clark Centennial in Portland. The vintage Garden Home postal safe and the three train reliefs are also there. Stan Houseman also snagged the huge Post Office eagle and postal schedule which will go up soon. Thanks to Stan for moving this project along and to Colin Lamb for the photos and train reliefs. I wrote the histories for all of the photos and reliefs. Old Market Pub and Brewery: 6959 SW Multnomah Blvd, 503-244-2337. Read our story about the history of the Old Market Pub and Brewery.

Shelly Bigley in front of the Lewis and Clark Centennial photos at the Old Market Pub

Shelly Bigley in front of the Lewis and Clark Centennial photos at the Old Market Pub

Garden Home Post Office safe on display in the Old Market Pub

Garden Home Post Office safe on display in the Old Market Pub

The original Whitney's Cannery sign on display in the Old Market Pub

The original Whitney’s Cannery sign on display in the Old Market Pub

Historic Log Home Demolished: We were sorry to see the Judy George log home falling to the demolition bulldozer. This log home on SW 87th Ave. (south of Garden Home Road) was built in 1900 on what was then called Westgard Street. This modest house had been added to until it was not salvageable. The lot is being prepared for its new home.

Log house construction

New Housing Developments: You have probably noticed the two large housing developments on SW Garden Home Road. Both the Piper Ridge development at SW 87th Ave. and the Garden Home Estates between SW 81st Ave. and SW 78th Ave. will each have 9 new homes developed by Westwood Homes (plus the original homes on the respective lots). Both properties were previously large pastures with horses in the last century. Early Garden Home was platted with large lots for typical family needs such as a cow, chickens, fruit trees, pasture, and a garden.

Windmill Fun: The original windmill photo from Shirley Gertsch Bartels was so washed out that you could hardly see these two men from Shattuck Dairy having fun. Thanks to David Delgado, a new resident who offered to improve some of our vintage photos, you can enjoy the fun…and bravado…from these men!

Shattuck Dairy - showing off on windmill used to pump water - edited by David Delgado

Shattuck Dairy – showing off on windmill used to pump water – edited by David Delgado

Thriftway Opening in 1981: Thanks to Bob and Sharon Cram for sharing this flyer from 1981 and helping us to clarify the Thriftway dates. The current 1995 store building with the bell tower was added on to this 1981 building. Read the story about the history of Lamb’s Thriftway.

1981 flyer for new Thriftway

1981 flyer for new Thriftway

Have you noticed the old rail bed at SW 71st Ave.? We’re working with Michelle Middlebrooks on a new story about the southern rail line carving through Garden Home and the Middlebrooks’ property.

Middlebrooks railway bed entry at SW 71st

Middlebrooks railway bed entry at SW 71st

Thank you for your donations, and thanks to our Treasurer Marie Pacella for processing them: Marie works hard maintaining our books and our mailing database. If you want a printed hard-copy of our quarterly newsletter, you can subscribe for $10 per year (the email version is free).

Read more about Garden Home with hundreds of photos and stories at GardenHomeHistory.com. We love hearing your memories about Garden Home! Let us know yours. You can contact us at GardenHomeHistory@gmail.com or call Elaine Shreve at 503-246-5879 or Esta Mapes at 503-246-5758 or Stan Houseman at 503-679-3691.

Stay safe and well,

Elaine Shreve

Elaine Shreve

Elaine Shreve

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September 2020 News

Posted on September 9, 2020 by gardenhomehistoryproject

In this edition: Old Market Pub and Brewery, Demolition of George log home, New housing developments, Windmill fun, 1981 Thriftway opening flyer, Railway bed on Middelbrooks’ property off SW 71st Ave.

Welcome to our website about historic Garden Home. In the People and Places pages, you’ll find well over two hundred stories, and over two thousand photos of vintage Garden Home and residents attending our events. You can contact us at GardenHomeHistory@gmail.com or call Elaine Shreve at 503-246-5879 or Esta Mapes at 503-246-5758 or Stan Houseman at 503-679-3691.
Thanks to each one of you for letting us know about your Garden Home history artifacts, old photos, stories, history books, or how you might be able to help document our history. We have a wonderful community because we have caring people!

Upcoming Events

Due to the current public health recommendations in response to the COVID-19 virus, we will not have slide programs until the Garden Home Recreation Center re-opens. We have interesting programs planned for the future. Take good care of yourselves.

In the meantime, sign up for our free Monthly Update Email by sending your contact information to GardenHomeHistory@gmail.com.

News

Pumpkins in Garden Home: We’re hoping that your tomatoes are ripening, that you and your family are well, that children are getting ready for a creative new school year, and that everyone has had some fun this summer. Here is a wonderful front yard pumpkin patch seen in Garden Home the first of September!

Garden Home pumpkins Sep 1, 2020

Garden Home pumpkins Sep 1, 2020

Old Market Pub and Brewery: Thanks to the very generous offer from Andy and Shelly Bigley of the Old Market Pub to display some of our artifacts from the Garden Home Thriftway. Stop in for takeout, dine-in, a drink, some pizza, or a sandwich, and check out our two photos from the 1905 Lewis & Clark Centennial in Portland. The vintage Garden Home postal safe and the three train reliefs are also there. Stan Houseman also snagged the huge Post Office eagle and postal schedule which will go up soon. Thanks to Stan for moving this project along and to Colin Lamb for the photos and train reliefs. Elaine Shreve wrote the histories for all of the photos and reliefs. Old Market Pub and Brewery: 6959 SW Multnomah Blvd, 503-244-2337. Read our story about the history of the Old Market Pub and Brewery.

Shelly Bigley in front of the Lewis and Clark Centennial photos at the Old Market Pub
The original Whitney’s Cannery sign on display in the Old Market Pub
Garden Home Post Office safe on display in the Old Market Pub

Historic Log Home Demolished: We were sorry to see the Judy George log home falling to the demolition bulldozer. This log home on SW 87th Ave. (south of Garden Home Road) was built in 1900 on what was then called Westgard Street. This modest house had been added to until it was not salvageable. The lot is being prepared for its new home.

Log house construction

New Housing Developments: You have probably noticed the two large housing developments on SW Garden Home Road. Both the Piper Ridge development at SW 87th Ave. and the Garden Home Estates between SW 81st Ave. and SW 78th Ave. will each have 9 new homes developed by Westwood Homes (plus the original homes on the respective lots). Both properties were previously large pastures with horses in the last century. Early Garden Home was platted with large lots for typical family needs such as a cow, chickens, fruit trees, pasture, and a garden.

Windmill Fun: The original windmill photo from Shirley Gertsch Bartels was so washed out that you could hardly see these two men from Shattuck Dairy having fun. Thanks to David Delgado, a new resident who offered to improve some of our vintage photos, you can enjoy the fun…and bravado…from these men!

Shattuck Dairy - showing off on windmill used to pump water - edited by David Delgado

Shattuck Dairy – showing off on windmill used to pump water – edited by David Delgado

Thriftway Opening in 1981: Thanks to Bob and Sharon Cram for sharing this flyer from 1981 and helping us to clarify the Thriftway dates. The current 1995 store building with the bell tower was added on to this 1981 building. Read the story about the history of Lamb’s Thriftway.

1981 flyer for new Thriftway

1981 flyer for new Thriftway

Have you noticed the old rail bed at SW 71st Ave.? See our new story about the southern rail line carving through Garden Home and the Middlebrooks’ property.

Middlebrooks railway bed entry at SW 71st

Middlebrooks railway bed entry at SW 71st

New Stories

Portland Golf Club by Joanne DeHaan

All about the DeHaan’s and other families who lived on Fanno Creek and SW 92nd Ave and worked the grounds of the Portland Golf Club down through the years, with wonderful vintage photos. See Portland Golf Club by Joanne DeHaan.

Moving a Tree - Portland Golf Club

Alva Davis and John DeHaan, moving a tree at the golf course.

Alvas Car - Portland Golf Club

Alva Davis’ homemade car, pictured on his father’s farm.

Murals on Scotty’s Restaurant

Remember the exterior murals on Scotty’s restaurant prior to its purchase by the Dugout? This photo shows the back wall in 2011, we’d love to have photos of the other two murals also. We also have a 1912 B.P.O.E. postcard, courtesy of Shirley Gertsch-Bartels. The card was used to direct the order of delivered milk from the Gertsch’s Shattuck Dairy in 1912. Remember when the Elks Lodge used the upstairs over Scotty’s restaurant? We’d love to learn more about that!

Scotty's back mural

Scotty’s back mural

1912 postcard BPOE invite - front

1912 postcard BPOE invite

Century Homes research continues

We appreciate the many Century Homes that lend substance, beauty, and history to Garden Home. Stan Houseman is developing photos and lists of these homes for future documentation. In time, these home owners will be notified by mail regarding their interest to participate. We believe our oldest home was built in 1890 and we have just over 100 homes built before 1930. Please contact Stan if you have an older home or know of one in Garden Home, Housemanquality@yahoo.com.

Stan reviewing Century Homes in Garden Home

Stan reviewing Century Homes in Garden Home

John & Dawn, True Love cement mystery

When Melissa and Josh Stefanic-Grimsbo tore off the old wooden steps of their 1930s log cabin home at 8550 SW Garden Home Road, they found a cement pad with the touching John & Dawn, True Love scratched into the cement. Does anyone know who might have lived there after the 1930s?

John & Dawn, True Love scratched into cement at 8550 SW Garden Home Road

John & Dawn, True Love scratched into cement at 8550 SW Garden Home Road

Garden Home History board members at work

Thanks to other Garden Home History friends who are writing Garden Home memoirs, improving our old photos, researching railroad history, and more stories to come! Here are some Garden Home Board members at work for our community.

Susan Houseman framing the placards describing the photos and train reliefs from Lamb’s Thriftway - 2020

Susan Houseman framing the placards describing the photos and train reliefs from Lamb’s Thriftway – 2020

John and Marie Pacella, Bob and Sharon Cram, Lamb's Thriftway closing 2019

John and Marie Pacella, Bob and Sharon Cram, Lamb’s Thriftway closing 2019

Marie Pacella, Treasurer - 2020

Marie Pacella, Treasurer – 2020

Jan Fredrickson with custom mask - 2020

Jan Fredrickson with custom mask – 2020

Get Involved

You are invited to our Board meetings which are held the second Monday of most months, 6:30 pm at the Garden Home Recreation Center. We often begin with slide show presentations. All are welcome to attend our meetings. We’re an active and fun group, we have lots of opportunities to get involved!
Historic Garden Home street sign

Historic Garden Home street sign

Historic Garden Home street signs: We currently have about 35 of the Historic Garden Home street sign toppers in our community. Each sign was purchased by a friend or family member to honor their loved one. Click here to view photos of the signs and for information about sponsoring a sign.

Our generous donors permit us to print and mail this newsletter ($140) for our non-e-mail people and for the Garden Home Recreation Center. We also replace the Historic Garden Home street signs once for signs that disappear, current cost for each sign, $60. With our latest order, we’ll have about 35 signs out in our neighborhoods. We also have website costs, printing, paper, plaques and many other costs of an organization. Donor names are listed on our History Bulletin Board at the Recreation Center. Thank you to all of our donors and to all of our volunteers for their time and skills.

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Brian Henry Bjornson obituary

Posted on August 31, 2020 by gardenhomehistoryproject

Brian Henry Bjornson, October 13, 1944 to August 11, 2020

Brian Henry Bjornson

Brian Henry Bjornson

Brian H. Bjornson passed away with his wife Debbie, his son Haldan and daughter Anika at his side at their home in West Linn Aug. 11, 2020. Brian developed a disabling muscle disease and became homebound in March, 2020. Known for his self-confidence, determination and strong sense of purpose he continued to work in spite of this progressively debilitating condition. Until the end Brian was alert, able to enjoy his family, friends and be comforted by them, even working on-line with associates at Norris and Stevens.

Brian was born in Portland on October 13, 1944. He grew up in Garden Home. His father passed April 8, 1974. Brian remained very supportive and close to his mother who passed Oct. 10, 1993. Brian developed, through his loving experience with his parents, his outstanding trait of loyalty to family, friends and coworkers.

Brian attended Garden Home Grade School and Beaverton High School where he played football and baseball. He also was a member of Boy Scouts attaining the top rank of Eagle Scout. Brian took the Boy Scout Motto seriously as those of us who know him associate his strength of character with the words of that Motto. Brian’s success in Scouts likely gave him confidence that he could succeed with more serious endeavors of the future.

Following high school, Brian attended Portland State University after a brief start at Oregon State. While at PSU, Brian studied as an exchange student in Italy and Norway. He developed his love of Nordic heritage that he later shared with his family. Brian took his family on two trips to Iceland in 2007 and 2008 where they found the family farm of his great-grandfather, Thorlacker. Brian always valued his family and friendships roots.

Following college, in 1972, Brian joined Norris and Stevens, Inc. Recognizing the strength and character of the Norris and Stevens leadership team, Brian began his life-long career. He went on to found the company’s apartment brokerage and management division. Norris and Stevens, which is locally owned, grew to become one of the largest commercial real estate firms in Oregon and S.W. Washington.

In 1987, Brian became a majority owner of N & S and led the company. Brian was the current Chairman of the Board for Norris and Stevens.

When Brian had established his success in business, he was ready for a family. Brian met Debbie Trick in 1993 on a blind date and married in 1998. They were blessed with two children, Haldan currently age 20, and Anika, age 18. Brian took great joy and pride in his family and spent a lot of time traveling as a family. When the kids were very young, Brian and Debbie built a vacation home in Camp Sherman, an area of Oregon Brian had loved since his teenage years. The family spent many vacations and every Christmas in their Camp Sherman retreat.

Anika and Haldan are both college students. Like in business, Brian gave his all to equip and encourage both children to be the best they can be. His love, influence and support for them will be greatly missed.

In lieu of flowers, a baseball scholarship is being established in memory of Brian to honor his love and support of the game. An email with this and other information will be sent out in the near future. A Celebration of Life will also be announced for a later date.

Posted in Obituaries | Tagged | 1 Comment