Oregon City's Ermatinger House expected to be named as one of state's most endangered buildings
Updated: Jan. 10, 2019, 4:31 p.m. | Published: May. 20, 2011, 6:27 p.m.
By Steve Mayes | The Oregonian/OregonLive
View full sizeBob Ellis/The OregonianThe Ermatinger House, seen decorated for the 2003 holiday season, is no longer open for public tours because of structural problems that could cost as much as a half-million dollars to fix.
Ermatinger House
has the distinction of being one of the oldest homes in Oregon.
It may gain an unwanted honor on May 23. The
Historic Preservation League of Oregon
is expected to name the 166-year-old house as one of the state's most endangered buildings.
Oregon City operated the Ermatinger House, 619 Sixth St., as a museum but closed the building to the public in November because of structural problems.
It will cost a lot of money -- possibly $500,000 or more, there are no firm estimates -- to stabilize the house.
City officials kicked around some ideas about how to address the Ermatinger problem at a recent city commission work session.
The best hope, they said, is turning the Ermatinger House over to the
The federal agency is responsible for two other Oregon City historic properties, the
McLoughlin House
and the
Barclay House
. The homes, a few blocks from the Ermatinger, are part of the
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
City Manager David Frasher said the city hopes to discuss the Ermatinger this summer with state and federal elected officials and the park service.
If the feds take control, it may be easier to get funding to repair the house and resolve a bigger headache -- the ongoing cost of operating and maintaining a museum that loses money.
The transfer requires congressional approval and "may take a couple of years," Frasher said. "We need to stay focused on this," he told city commissioners, who generally support the plan.
The city budgeted more than $100,000 to the Ermatinger's needs. That money -- if made available to the park service -- might sweeten the deal, Frasher said.
The house, the oldest in Oregon City and the third-oldest in the state, was built in 1845 for Francis Ermatinger, an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company.
Oregon City also approached Portland about becoming a partner in the Ermatinger restoration. The house is believed to be the site of the famous coin toss that gave Portland its name. Francis Pettygrove from Portland, Maine, and Asa Lovejoy from Boston each wanted to name the new city after his hometown.
Steve Mayes