The Star Exchange Building on Commercial Street Northeast in Salem, 1946 (Salem Public Library/Ben Maxwell Collection)
The State Insurance Co. Building located in Salem’s downtown has a really interesting history. The building is located at the northwest corner of Commercial and Chemeketa Streets in our downtown, but it doesn’t look anything like it did when it was first constructed.
While the building dates back to circa 1888, the exterior has gone through significant alterations beginning in 1960 when the upper stories of the building were removed. However, if you look really closely, you can still see evidence of this original building.
The history of this block is even connected to the life of a former United States President. When Herbert Hoover was a boy, his parents both had died by the time he was nine years old. When he was 11, he came to live with his uncle, Dr. John Minthorn, here in Oregon. They lived in Newberg from 1885 to 1888. This house is listed on the National Register and is open as a historic house museum.
In 1888 Dr. Minthorn started the Oregon Land Company and he moved his family from Newberg to the Hawthorne neighborhood here in Salem. Their house was located at the intersection of Highland and Hazel Avenue.
The Hoover home in Newberg in an undated photo.
Minthorn and his partners constructed the building in downtown Salem for the Oregon Land Company in 1888. At the time it was built, the building was quite an impressive example of commercial Second Empire architectural style with its mansard roof and central tower. Herbert Hoover worked both as an office boy (clerk) with his uncle and he also helped operate the streetcar that ran from this block out to the Highland Addition. Hoover worked in downtown Salem until 1891 when he started school at Stanford. This photo from the Trover Studio shows the building after it was occupied by the State Insurance Company.
The home office of State Insurance Company in Salem, circa 1885-1900 (Oregon State Library)
The Salem YMCA moved into the building in 1901 and they established Salem’s first swimming pool in the building in 1910. The YMCA remained in the building until 1926 when they moved into their new building on Court Street. The Star Exchange moved into the building in 1920, when they shared the building with the YMCA.
The building was owned by the Saffron Supply Company in 1960 when they applied for a demolition permit on Aug. 4, 1960 to demolish the top two stories of the three-story brick building. The Star Exchange remained as a tenant in this building through 1976 when it was remodeled for use as the Rising Sun Record Store. Additional exterior modifications have included the installation of awnings (both square and rounded) as well as additional interior and exterior remodeling to accommodate the needs of tenants.
The Salem YMCA in 1904 (Salem Public Library Special Collections)
The building is currently one story with round awnings that cover some of the most interesting features that still remain on the building. There is still one intact window from the original structure on the exterior fronting Chemeketa Street Northeast, and you can also still see evidence of the original cast iron decorative columns.
At their October meeting, the Salem Historic Landmarks Commission considered a request to initiate designation of this building because of its very interesting history. Unfortunately they determined that the building had gone through too many changes so that it doesn’t retain enough original historic material or design to meet the criteria for designation.
City of Salem documents show the current facade of the State Insurance Co. Building, significantly altered since its construction over a century ago. (Courtesy/City of Salem)
However, the HLC will continue to work with the Urban Development Department and the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office to ensure that the history of this building and this site is recorded and documented, and hopefully some onsite interpretation will be installed as part of the redevelopment of this block in the next few years.
Editor’s note: This column is part of a regular feature from Salem Reporter to highlight local history in collaboration with area historians and historical organizations. If you have any feedback or would like to participate, please contact managing editor Rachel Alexander at [email protected].
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Kimberli Fitzgerald is the city of Salem's archeologist and historic preservation officer. She is a regular contributor to Salem Reporter's local history column.
