Photographer Fred DeWolfe
The late Myrtle Casper was a longtime resident of the Slabtown area in Northwest Portland. Her husband Ben Casper owned the Saw Shopwhere the Northwest Portland Library parking lot is located today. Myrtle loved spending her time shooting pool with the guys at the Northwest(now McMenamins) Tavern & Pool on NW 23rd Avenue. After all, what else was there for a lady todo when her husband sharpened saws all day? Myrtle Clara Casper was born in Kansas in 1890.She was married three times, and she spent many of her early years doing housekeeping. She died in 1974 in an apartment above her favorite pool hall at age 83. Ben died four years later at 93 years old.A large copy of this photograph of Myrtle hangs on the wall of McMenamins Tavern & Pool.