Frances Building and Echo Theater
Encyclopedia
The Frances Building and Echo Theater in southeast Portland
in the U.S. state
of Oregon
is a property listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. Built in 1911, it was added to the register in 1994. The Frances Building is a two-story structure that faces Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard, while the Echo Theatre is a one-story structure facing Southeast 37th Avenue. The adjoining buildings, constructed as parts of a single project, are separated by a party wall
.
Investor Rudolph Christman, who financed construction of the project, named the Frances Building in honor of his wife. It was the first commercial structure built along Hawthorne Boulevard between Southeast 20th and 39th avenues. Other commercial development soon followed, enhanced by the growth of nearby residential areas and construction of trolley
lines to serve them. The original first floor of the Frances Building was home to a barber shop, and a dry goods
store, a candy store, and a drug store. The second floor included offices and living quarters. Through many decades, commerce has continued on the first floor; seven apartments occupy the second floor.
Entered originally from Hawthorne via a passage through the Frances Building, the Echo Theater was a movie house. Facing competition from the nearby Bagdad Theater, which opened across the street in 1927, the Echo Theater closed, and its entrance was moved to 37th Avenue side. Storage and plumbing companies used the space until 1984, when it again became a theater. Do Jump!
, a company of "actorbats", performs in the Echo Theater and teaches movement styles via the Do Jump Movement Theater School.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
is a property listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Built in 1911, it was added to the register in 1994. The Frances Building is a two-story structure that faces Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard, while the Echo Theatre is a one-story structure facing Southeast 37th Avenue. The adjoining buildings, constructed as parts of a single project, are separated by a party wall
Party wall
Party wall is a dividing partition between two adjoining buildings that is shared by the tenants of each residence or business. The wall is sometimes constructed over the center of the property line dividing two terraced flats or row houses so that one half of the wall is on each property...
.
Investor Rudolph Christman, who financed construction of the project, named the Frances Building in honor of his wife. It was the first commercial structure built along Hawthorne Boulevard between Southeast 20th and 39th avenues. Other commercial development soon followed, enhanced by the growth of nearby residential areas and construction of trolley
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
lines to serve them. The original first floor of the Frances Building was home to a barber shop, and a dry goods
Dry goods
Dry goods are products such as textiles, ready-to-wear clothing, and sundries. In U.S. retailing, a dry goods store carries consumer goods that are distinct from those carried by hardware stores and grocery stores, though "dry goods" as a term for textiles has been dated back to 1742 in England or...
store, a candy store, and a drug store. The second floor included offices and living quarters. Through many decades, commerce has continued on the first floor; seven apartments occupy the second floor.
Entered originally from Hawthorne via a passage through the Frances Building, the Echo Theater was a movie house. Facing competition from the nearby Bagdad Theater, which opened across the street in 1927, the Echo Theater closed, and its entrance was moved to 37th Avenue side. Storage and plumbing companies used the space until 1984, when it again became a theater. Do Jump!
Do Jump
Do Jump is a modern dance and trapeze company headquartered in Portland, Oregon, United States. Do Jump uses clowning, aerial dance, tumbling, partner acrobatics, physical theater, and minimal technical aspects to tell complex stories...
, a company of "actorbats", performs in the Echo Theater and teaches movement styles via the Do Jump Movement Theater School.