07.24.2023

SUBSCRIBE | REFER

Today’s Forecast

49º | Showers | 84% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:50 a.m. | Sunset 4:40 p.m.

Passing the porch

Portland architecture: The rise of the American Craftsman

Dickenson House craftsman portland pdx.jpeg

The Frank and Emma Dickenson House, built in 1909 in the Alphabet Historic District, is one of Portland’s earliest Craftsman homes. | Photo by Ian Poellet

The Rose City boasts a diverse array of architectural styles, but many neighborhoods feature one on repeat: the American Craftsman.

From their wide, covered porches to their open floor plans, Craftsman homes are pillars of Portland architecture. Let’s take a look at the story behind their rise to local popularity, the common traits that set them apart from other styles, and examples that are currently available on the market.

📐 Where did it come from?

Inspired by the British Arts and Crafts movement, Craftsman homes first sprung up in the US in the early 20th century. They heralded a distancing from Victorian architectural opulence in favor of functionality, clean lines, and natural materials. The name “American Craftsman” comes from the interior design magazine The Craftsman, in which founder Gustav Stickley published the floor plans for his New York home now credited as the prototype for the American Craftsman style.

The Craftsman craze hit Portland in 1905, lasting for about 25 years — though it’s never really gone out of style. Original examples can be found in high concentrations in Ladd’s Addition, the Irvington, Piedmont, and Sunnyside neighborhoods, and the West Hills.

Portland PDX Craftsman home architecture — Craftsman homes are also peppered throughout Northwest Portland.
|
Photo by Cambrie Juarez, PDXtoday

🔎 Spot that style

Bungalows are sometimes considered synonymous with Craftsman architecture, but the latter is much larger. Telltale traits of a Craftsman include one or two stories, low-pitched gabled roofs with overhanging eaves, prominent fireplaces, large porches often with exposed supports, and handcrafted elements (think: carved nooks and window seats).

🏡 Love it? Live it

Events

Monday, July 24

Lavender U-pick | Monday, July 24-Sunday, Aug. 13 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Wayward Winds Lavender Farm, 17005 NE Courtney Rd., Newberg | Free | Gather bouquets of the purple aromatic flowers with your own hands at this farm where you’ll also find culinary, home, and body care products for sale.

Tuesday, July 25

Paramore | Tuesday, July 25 | 7 p.m. | Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 300 Winning Way, Portland | $146-$172 | A concert on a Tuesday? This is “The Only Exception.”

Wednesday, July 26

Travel Portland Visitor Center Open House | Wednesday, July 26 | 4-7 p.m. | Portland Visitor Center, 1132 SW Harvey Milk St., Ste. 104, Portland | Free | Tour the new informational hub for visitors and locals alike and enjoy treats from Kulfi PDX, mocktails from Merit Badge, and live entertainment.

Thursday, July 27

“Baking Yesteryear” | Thursday, July 27 | 6 p.m. | Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing, 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton | Free | Author B. Dylan Hollis is in the house to talk about his lighthearted baking book full of vintage recipes that will bring new life to the modern kitchen.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Drink

Upgrade your coffee routine with these brands

One of our favorites: Methodical Coffee, perfect for those looking for complex and original flavor profiles. | Photo via Methodical Coffee + Six & Main

Put down the chain coffee and cozy up to these thoughtfully crafted coffee brands. Plus, get 20% off your first purchase.

Stop and smell the roses: Methodical Coffee’s Pink Lady

Tastes bright and chocolatey

Fuel your creative fire: Blanchard’s Midnight Oil

Tastes dark and sweet

Revitalize your whole body: a|dash’s Ashwagandha-Infused Cold Brew

Tastes smooth and earthy

Invite quiet focus: Loveland Coffee’s Guatemala Decaf K-Cups

Tastes full-bodied and caramelly

Shop all Six & Main coffee

News Notes

Community

A “temporary alternative shelter site” is expected to open by the end of July in the Clinton Triangle near Southeast Powell Boulevard and 13th Avenue. The site is a collaboration between California-based nonprofit Urban Alchemy, the city of Portland, and Multnomah County. A second site — location unknown — is in the works. (KOIN)

Traffic

Starting today, OMSI visitors can pay for parking using the Parking Kitty app. Onsite kiosks will be coming soon; in the meantime, those who don’t use the app can still pay at the front desk when they enter the museum. Parking is $5 for two hours or $8 for the day.

Shop

Portland Farmers Market at PSU will host four small businesses representing Chungju-Si, South Korea, this Saturday, July 29, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Shoppers can meet the entrepreneurs, sample their products, and learn about their missions, which range from promoting eco-friendly lifestyles with rainwater storage tanks to supporting local crafters.

Try This

Oregon Metro wants to see how you experience nature in the greater Portland area. Take a picture in your yard, on a trail, or in a local park, then submit it with a short caption by Tuesday, Aug. 15. The winning shot will appear in the fall issue of Our Big Backyard.

Drink

Pure. Focused. Dynamic. That’s how owner Michael Ruhland describes the wine he and Matías Kúsulas create at Valo. We recently caught up with the pair to get more insight into the brand’s vision and why you should swing by their taproom for a taste. Here’s what they had to say.*

Eat

🔱 The intersection of freedom + flavor

Mermosa PDX celebrates a ‘siren’ ancestor, freedom, and the flavors of Haiti, France, and the American South

People gathered in a restaurant with a wood paneled ceiling, blue accents, white tables, and plants lined up in a row.

Mermosa PDX blends an aesthetic rich in nautical tones with gold accents and plants. | Photo by Cambrie Juarez, PDXtoday

A new restaurant on Portland’s popular Northwest 23rd Avenue has a story that stretches back to the late 1700s when a woman named Celestine fell in love with a French gardener in Haiti.

Celestine and Philippe Noisette married and moved to Charleston, where Philippe introduced a new type of rose: the Noisette. Upon Philippe’s death, the executor of his will was instructed to sell all of Philippe’s possessions with the profits given to Celestine. The funds, coupled with Celestine’s efforts to establish a legal paper trail, blazed a path to freedom for her and her seven children.

Celestine, fondly referred to as a “siren” by her descendent, Desiree Noisette, is the inspiration behind Mermosa PDX. Founded by Desiree in — somewhat ironically — the City of Roses, Mermosa fully opened to the public last week.

Mermosa’s brunch and dinner menus are bursting with the flavors of Haiti, France, and the Lowcountry, from cornbread waffles with blackberry compote to smoked fish pâté. Epis, the staple seasoning of the Caribbean nation, has a pronounced place in many dishes. Customers will also find Mermosa’s own sparkling wine and cocktails made with the brand’s canned bubbles.

Share PDXtoday

Share the good news. Get rewarded.

Have someone who needs to stay in the know? Get amazing rewards for every new subscriber you bring by sharing your unique referral link (below).

Facebook

Twitter

{{profile.vars.rh_totref_20}} friends are looped into all things local because of you.

Claim your rewards

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Cambrie

From the editor

Fellow gardeners, check this out: Northeast Portland resident Darcy Daniels has spent the past 25 years transforming her yard into a carefully crafted space that offers no shortage of inspiration for others, including beginners. Darcy even created a free online database where people of all skill levels can discover plant combinations that grow well together and please the eye.

Missed our previous newsletter?

›

Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY