223-233 Commercial Street NE

(Historic Downtown Salem)

Classification: Historic Contributing (Listed in National Register of Historic Places, 1979)

Historic Name: Starkey-McCully Building

Current Name(s): Earle’s Antiques/Gallagher Fitness

Year of Construction: c. 1867/1868

Legal Description: 073W22DC08700and 8800, Salem Addition, from Lots 3 & 4, Block 49

Owner(s): 223 Commercial: Marilyn S. Fletcher

c/o Carlton Warren, Trustee

850 NE 122nd Avenue

Portland, Oregon

233 Commercial: Michael D. and Angela J. Jones

2802 SE Morland Lane

Portland, Or 97202

West side of 200 block of Commercial Street. “E. S. Lamport Saddlery” 289 N. Commercial. Several people and two horse drawn wagons in front of buildings. Also sign for “Oregon Clothing House” and “Harness Shop”., WHC Collections 2007.001.2036

Description: This two-story brick unreinforced masonry building, built in 1867, originally extended 120 feet along the west side of Commercial Street. Only the northern 70 feet of the block remains. This Italianate style block is comprised of two commercial two-story, stucco-faced brick buildings. They are the surviving northern-most two stories of a five-story business block. The cast-iron decoration on the facade is believed to be the oldest of its kind in Oregon which remains in situ.

The northern-most portion of the primary facade is brick. The second floor has four window bays capped by cornices with scrolled brackets. Restoration of architectural features occurred in the mid-1990s as the upper floor was renovated for residential use. The storefront consists of display windows with wood sash, and an entrance that is flush with the windows and protected by a canvas awning.

Second-story openings on the southern portion (six bays) have been filled with decorator panels; a newer wooden cornice has been added to the parapet. The storefront windows have aluminum sash and wood (vertical siding) “bulkheads.” This portion of the building does not currently display much of its historic fabric. More recently a two-story concrete block addition has enlarged the rear of the southern portion.

The Starkey-McCully Building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (1979) and is considered a contributing structure in the historic district.

History and Significance: The history of both the building and its owners are equally interesting. David McCully was born in New Brunswick in 1814. His family immigrated to Ohio in 1822. In 1844 he moved to Iowa, and in 1848 opened a general merchandise store with his brother, Asa McCully. Later the brothers sold their store and went to California with Amos Starkey, John L. Starkey and Sam Starkey in search of gold. They returned to Iowa with $5,000 each. Asa McCully and John L. Starkey formed a partnership and moved to Oregon in 1852.

In 1858 McCully and John Starkey opened a general store at the corner of State and Commercial streets (the present location of Ladd and Bush Bank). In 1867 McCully and Starkey erected a new building at 233 Commercial Street, and opened a second store.

Occupancy history can only be traced in detail in the Salem City Directory after street numbers were first adopted in 1886. However, glimpses of the building’s use before that year are possible. Nicklin and Company operated a general store selling groceries, dress goods and hardware, and a Mrs. Snyder operated a millinery shop. By 1894 there were two grocery stores in the southern portion of the building. In the northern portion of the building E.S. Lamport had a harness shop, Charles G. Giver repaired boots and shoes, and Charles W. Hellenbrand operated a restaurant. Lamport continued his harness business at that location until his death in 1912. Later occupants included Watt Shipp & Co (sporting goods, 1913-1915); Quackenbush Auto Supplies (1921); F.W. Pettyjohn & Co (automobiles, 1924); the Nash Furniture Company (1928-45); Coast-to-Coast Stores (hardware, 1947-48); and Valley Furniture Business (1951-56).

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This article originally appeared on the original Salem Online History site and has not been updated since 2006.