The American Inn (Courtesy Normal Gholston) A view with Guild’s Lake in the foreground.
Yes the American Inn Condominiums were build out of materials from the American Inn
The images I have come across over the years are like the one above. I thought it was possible that the center section was saved and moved to NW Northrup. I only recently found an advertisment below for the hotel and realized that the hotel was a much more massive building than I had previously thought.
John Karlyle had a permit out for a new three-story “flats” structure on July 25, 1906-December 22, 1906 permit for 691 Northrup street. What was exciting was the hand scrawled note on the back of the permit card.” This bldg., is built with material from the American inn if the fair grounds.” More curious perhaps was the note on the other side of the card “This man I had arrested for doing work with out license.” The permit had no name of the plumber just “hired [his] owner.” Pretty exciting that a hundred years ago a city inspector could have a contractor arrested.
The advertisement below right is from the Sunday Oregonian August 26, 1906 for a “high-class Hotel” situated at 689-691-6930695 Northrup Street to be completed next month. The drawing looks far more akin to the American Inn than the reality on the street today. With this drawing in hand in the field you can see where many of the decretive front façade columns and porch features were once attached. The stucco patches are clearly visible and the doors to nowhere on the second and third floors would have once been for access to the former porches.
Oregonian Ad for the completion of the Hotel on NW Northrup August 26, 1906 p 18- the address of the agent at the bottom and the 1930s change of address and no referance to the American Inn made this ad a hidden treasure.“The American Inn, World’s Fair Grounds, Portland Oregon” The Pacific Monthly-Advertising Section 1905
Wait who is trying to shut down Besaw’s? Petition to Shut Besaw’s Saloon!
Yes 3,144 Portlander’s signed a petition to close Besaw’s in May 1905. Voters wanted all bars closed that were near the 1905 Fair Grounds. It was this movement that led to prohibition. This fun fact was more relevant when there was a fight to save the building.
Besaws c. 1938 Note the second level & tower was still intact- well now sadly the entire building is gone.My favorite detail about this image is the drain along the bar so you never need to leave your drink alone to empty your bladder.
1880 According to Portland Maps the building on the northwest corner of N.W. 23rd Ave. and Savier St. was built.
1903 Besaw/ The Oaks (Saloon) 755 North Savier (this is now part of Tavern and Pool northeast corner of N.W. 23rd Ave. and Savier St.
1904 – Besaw & Liberty (George Besaw Jr. and Patrick Liberty) 761 Savier (saloon)
1905 – Besaw & Liberty (George Besaw Jr. and Patrick Liberty) 761 Savier (saloon) 765 Savier (restaurant)
1906-9 Besaw & Liberty (George Besaw Jr. and Patrick Liberty) 761 (saloon) Savier 761.5 (restaurant)
1910 Besaw & Liberty 761 Savier
1911-15 Besaw & Liberty (George D. Besaw & Medrick Liberty) 761 Savier (alteration permit in 1912)
1916 –closed/vacant
1917-18 – Besaw & Liberty Soft Drinks 761 Savier
…
1921-22 – Besaws (Confectionary)
1925-1930 – Solo Club Restaurant
1931-1933 – George Besaw Jr. Restaurant
1932 – Building permit for a card room approved
1967-1972 Besaw’s Restaurant 2301 NW Savier St. Clyde Besaw
1973- 1987 Vacant
1988-May 2015 Besaw’s Café 2301 Savier
Jan. 2016 Besaw’s restaurant managed by Cana Flug reopens at NW 21st and Raleigh
Jan. 2017 CE John demolishes historic structure at NW23rd and Savier
National Impacting Events
Lewis & Clark Centennial 1905
Oregon Prohibition Period 1914 -1933
National Prohibition 1919-1933
Great Depression 1929
Polk Research
1901-02 none white or restaurants or saloons
1903- Saloon Besaw George 755 Savier
1904- Besaw & Liberty 761 Savier saloon
George Besaw and Patrick Liberty
1905 Besaw & Liberty 761 Savior saloon
Besaw and Liberty rest. 765 Savier saloon 761 Savier
1906 Besaw George (Besaw & Liberty) re. 761.5 Savier
Besaw & Liberty (saloon 761)
1907-08 saloon Besaw & Liberty 761 Savier (no rest)
1909 Besaw George (Besaw & Liberty) rest 761.5 Savier
Besaw and liberty saloon 761 Savier
1910 – none rs. None rest. Saloon Besaw & Liberty 761 Savier
1911 –Besaw George D b. 761.5 Savier
Besaw Geo E (Besaw & Liberty) h. 761.5 Savier
Besaw & Liberty (Geo E Bewsaw Medrick Liberty saloon 761 Savier
1912-Besaw & Liberty 761 Savier
1913- Besaw Geo lab b 366 21st N
Besaw Geo D (Besaw & Liberty) h 366 21st N
Besaw & Liberty (Geo D Besaw Medrick Liberty) saloon 761 savier
1914 Besaw Geo D (Emma) (Besaw & Liberty) h. 366 21st N
Besaw & Liberty (Geo D. Besaw Merdrick Liberty) Saloon 761 Savier
Liberty, Medrick (Olive) h 815 Savier
1915 – Bewsaw Geo D (Emma F) (Besaw & Liberty) h. 366 22nd N
Besaw & Liberty saloon 761 Savier
[Oregon Prohibition starts 4 years earlier than national both last until 1933]
1916 – Besaw Geo D (Emma F) h 366 21st n
No Saloon
No Rest
No Soft Drink
1917
No Saloon
No Rest
Besaw & Liberty Soft Drinks 761 Savier
Besaw still at 366 21st n
1918
Besaw & Liberty Soft Drinks 761 Savier (366 N 21st)
1919 (no directory that year)
1920 –No listing soft drinks
Liberty Merdrick (Olive) carmn h 815 Savier
1921-22
no rest
no soft drink
Besaw Geo (Emma) conf 761 Savior Home 366 21st N
(Stands for Confectioners-Retail)
1923
Besaw Geo soft drinks 761 Savior
1924
Besaw Geo (Emma) soft drinks 761 Savier h 366 21st n
