Ball-Ehrman House
2040 SW Laurel Street, Portland
Entered on NRHP 22 Feb 1991
Classified as an English Cottage, this home was designed by Albert E. Doyle and built in 1923.
Zillow site: http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2040-SW-Laurel-St-Portland-OR-97201/53835803_zpid/
Further images can be found HERE
Comments from the NRHP application, found HERE
The Ball / Ehrman Residence is a finely Grafted English Cottage Style house located on a large corner lot in the southwest hill of the Portland Heights neighborhood in Portland. The residence was constructed by the prominent Oregon architect, Albert E. Doyle in 1923, for the Bert C. Ball family. Significant under criterion c as being the best example, and most intact, of Doyle's English Cottage Style, the residence displays many characteristics of the style in its distinctive rolled eave roof form, prominent end chimney, asymmetrical plan, dormer windows, stucco exterior, and multi-paned casement windows. The curvilinear front entrance walk, informal garden arrangement, and perimeter plantings further exemplify the picturesque story book quality of the style. The residence is in excellent condition with few modifications.
SITE
The Ball/Ehrman Residence is located on the south side of S.W. Laurel Street, on the corner of S.W. Laurel and Twenty-first streets in the Carter's Addition to the City, in Portland, Oregon. The residence is on a lot measuring approximately 400 feet north-south and 200 feet east-west. The lot encompasses the western half of Block 87; the grounds originally included the entire block. The property is bordered on the north by S.W. Laurel Street, on the west by S.W. Twenty-third Street and on the south by S.W. Elm Street. A driveway is located along the eastern property line and extends from S.W. Laurel to S.W. Elm Street. An iron gate secures the driveway on the S.W. Elm Street entrance. A stucco clad garage, capped with an brick cornice, is located southeast of the residence along the east property line.
A curvilinear brick front walkway extends diagonally from the corner of N.W. Laurel and Twentyfirst streets to the front entrance porch. The path is lined with evergreen shrubs. The brick path extends across the front elevation to the east and west sides of the residence. A stucco wall capped with brick surrounds the back yard. A wood picket gate is on the west side of the wall. The landscape features and vegetation date primarily from the historical period. The northeast corner of the lot is planted with fir trees, rhododendrons, Oregon grape, junipers and barberries. It is landscaped with native rocks. Rows of mature rhododendrons are planted around the front foundation of the residence. A fir tree stands at the northwest corner of the residence. Hydrangeas line the southern portion of the east elevation and a variety of shrubs line the perimeter of the
residence on the rear (south) elevation. The back yard is beautifully landscape in an informal arrangement. A central open grassy lawn area is lined with a variety of plantings. Mature rhododendrons, lilacs, azaleas line the wall along the west interspersed with Hawthorne, plum, and Japanese maple trees. The southern portion of the lot is covered with an array of plantings including firs, azaleas, lilacs, rhododendrons, a black locust, a Japanese maple, and a pink magnolia tree. A small pond is nestled in the south portion of the lot. A stone path leads to the pond from the rear patio. Fir trees cover a small fenced area south of the garage.
EXTERIOR
The two and one half story English Cottage Style residence is rectangular in plan and has a full daylight basement The I-shaped clipped gable roof consist of a central east-west gable intersected at both ends by clipped gables. The north-south gable on the east side sweeps down to the first story covering the patio and service area of the residence. The eave line on this elevation cuts back to the second story in the center of the elevation, forming a U-shape roof line. Covered with wood
shingles, the distinctive roof form simulates a traditional thatched roof pattern. The shallow rolled eaves are supported by simple wood beam brackets. Two shed dormers, incorporated into the rounded contour of the roof form, are located on the east side elevation and one centrally located on the rear (south) elevation. A prominent exterior stucco chimney, topped with clay tile chimney pots, is on the west end of the residence. Two other stucco chimneys are located on the rear(south) elevation; the eastern most chimney has compounded flues capped with clay tile chimney pots.
Rough cast stucco, partially covered with ivy, sheaths the exterior walls of the house. The windows are a combination of multi-paned casement, fixed pane multi-lights, diamond paned casement and fixed pane windows. Void of any trim detail, with the exception of brick windowsills, the windows are flush with the wall surface. The window fenestration is symmetrical on the front (north) and south (rear) elevations. The front elevation is formally composed. Pairs of casement windows punctuate the gable ends on the attic story and bands of multi-pane windows form the second and first story fenestration. The rear (south) elevation is comprised of a central semi-circular bay flanked by end bays formed by the clipped gable ends. The eastern bay projects from the rest of the rear elevation, forming a L-shape. Bands of casement windows with diamond shaped panes line the first and second stories of the central semi-circular bay and the first story of
the east bay. Multi-paned windows punctuate the wall surface on the second and attic stories of the elevation.
The front porch is centrally located on the north elevation and is covered with a simulated thatched wood shingled roof with rolled eaves. An eyebrow curve in the front of the porch roof accentuates the picturesque quality of the residence. Solid square wood posts with brackets support the porch roof. The slightly arched wood panelled front door is flanked by sidelights. There are two patios embodied in the residence; one on the east elevation and one on the rear (south) elevation. The side or east patio is recessed under the second story roof. A low stucco wall capped with brick, and supported by large square posts, encloses the open-air patio. The rear patio is located on the west bay of the rear (south) elevation. The brick patio is recessed under the second story of the end west bay.
Stairs to the basement door are located in the center of the east elevation. An iron fence with gate encloses the staircase. A lattice covered service door is located on the east end of the rear (south) elevation.
INTERIOR
The interior of the Ball / Ehrman Residence is asymmetrical in plan. The living room, dining room and library surround the main entrance hall, which contains the staircase to the second floor. The service area, in east wing of the residence, includes the kitchen, butler's pantry, breakfast room, and side hall. The second floor consists of three bedrooms, two sitting rooms, the servant's quarters and four bathrooms. A ballroom is located on the third floor. The residence has a full basement.
FIRST FLOOR
Hall and staircase
The entrance hall is a large, open room with the main staircase ascending to the upper floors on the west side of the room. The staircase is L-shape in plan and is composed of an elegantly turned balustrade which terminates at a spiraled newel post The walls along the staircase are embellished with panelled wainscotting. The panelled front door is slightly arched, flanked by multi-paned sidelights. Two small closets align the entrance door on the north elevation. The lower portion of
the hall walls are covered with panelled wainscotting and a deep cornice molding finishes the top of the walls. The entrance hall is covered with Parquet wood floors. Doors to the library, back hall, dining room and living room are on elevations of the room. Multi-paned pocket doors on the west side of the hall lead to the living room.
Living Room
The living room is a spacious, rectangular room which extends two thirds the width of the residence. A wide cornice molding defines the top of the walls and the ceiling is embellished with painted boxed beams extending east to west. A fireplace is located in the center of the west elevation of the room, flanked by pairs of casement windows. The classically inspired fireplace has a delicate mantel piece. Tan marble, trimmed with a brass header, surrounds the firebox. Recessed wood panels surround the fireplace. Built-in bookshelves at the south end of the living room flank French doors leading to the rear patio. The floors are oak.
Library
Panelled pocket doors with glass door knobs lead to the library on the east elevation of the hall. The ceiling of the library is embellished with wood beams which extend north-south. A wide cornice molding, finished with dentils, tops the unpainted panelled walls of the room. The central focal point of the room is the fireplace which is on the south elevation. A shallow mantel piece projects slightly over the firebox. Black marble with gold graining, surrounds the firebox and covers the hearth. Recessed built-in bookcases with arched heads flank the fireplace. French doors on the east elevation access the side patio. Built-in shelving caps the French doors. Multipaned casement windows line the north wall of the room.
Dining Room
A wide arched doorway, recessed underneath the main staircase, on the south end of the main hall leads to the dining room. Unpainted boxed wood beams, crossing at the corners, accentuate the ceiling of the room. A wide cornice molding extends around the perimeter of the room as does thepanelled wainscotting. The south wall of the room is comprised of a semi-circular niche with a built-in shelve and a band of diamond shape paned windows above. French doors on the west
elevation lead to the back patio. There are two doors on the east elevation: a door on the north side leads to the butler's pantry and the door on the south side of the wall leads to the breakfast room.
Breakfast Room
The breakfast room is an open, airy room adjacent to the butler's pantry and dining room. The ceilings are embellished with painted boxed wood beams and the walls are sheathed in roughcast stucco. Original green tiles cover the floor. Multi-pane casement and fixed pane windows, on the west and south elevations, illuminate the small room. The windows are recessed from the wall surface creating a deep window ledge. A built-in cabinet, in the center of the east wall, has multipaned
double doors formed in a Tudor arch. A swinging door on the north elevation leads to the butler's pantry.
Butler's Pantry and Back Hall
Original cupboards with glass doors and cabinets line the north and south walls of the butler's pantry. A sink is located in the northeast corner of the room with a multi-pane windows above. The original dumbwaiter (now used as a laundry chute) is on the west elevation of the room and a door adjacent to the dumbwaiter opens to a small storage closet. The floors are maple. A door on the north wall leads to a small vestibule with the wood chute on the west wall and a shallow closet
on the east elevation. The vestibule leads to the back hall. The back hall extends west-east and leads from the entrance hall, at the west end, to the side (east) patio. Two narrow double doors on the north elevation of the hall access a closet. A single French door at the east end of the hall leads to the side patio. A small bathroom is located at the east end of the hall on the south elevation. The hall floors are oak.
Kitchen
The kitchen is L-shaped in plan with the pantry and mud room in the southeast corner of the room. A work island is located in the center of the room. The new stainless steel stove is on the north wall of the room flanked by doors leading to the basement (on the west) and the back service stairs (on the east). An original incinerator is located on the north wall, adjacent to the stove. Cupboards and cabinets line the south wall of the room. The kitchen was remodeled in 1954. The current owners installed maple floors.The pantry is a small room located on the south wall of the kitchen. A double hung multi-pane window, with flour bins below, illuminates the small room on the south elevation. 0>pen shelving lines the west wall and cabinets line the east wall. The original cooling cabinet is located in the northeast corner of the room. The cooling cabinet has double metal doors which have been punctuated for cooling. The small portion of the back of the cabinet is covered with screening and open to the mud room for ventilation. The door to mud room is directly east of the pantry door. A
lattice covered door on the south elevation of the mud room leads to the back yard.
SECOND FLOOR
The main staircase leads to the second story L-shaped hall. Doors in the hall access the bedrooms and the back service hall. A small sitting alcove, with built-in linen closets, is located on the north side of the hall. Three multi-pane casement windows in the center of the alcove light the hall. It the top of the main staircase, a door to the south opens into a large bedroom (bedroom no. 1). A shallow semi-circular bay on the south elevation illuminates the room. The bay has a series of multi-pane casement windows with diamond shaped panes. A window seat is built into the lower portion of the bay. Built-in bookcases are located on the west elevation of the room, nestled into a small alcove. A bathroom is in the southeast corner of the room. The original fixtures, with the exception of the sink, are intact. Small, white hexagonal tiles cover the floor and rectangular tiles sheath the lower portions of the walls. A multi-pane casement window is on the south elevation of the room. The bedroom is connected to an adjacent dressing room through a small hallway on the west elevation. Built-in closets and drawers line the north, south, and east walls of the dressing room. Casement windows are on the west and south elevations of the small room. An original built-in mirrored vanity, positioned at a diagonal, is in the southwest corner of the room. A door on the north elevation of the room leads to the master suite.
The master suite (bedroom no. 2) is a spacious room finished with a narrow cornice molding and high baseboards. Pairs of multi-paned casement windows on the west elevation illuminate the room. Built-in closets are along the south wall of the room flanked by two doors. The door west of the closets leads to the dressing room and the door on the east leads to the bathroom. All the fixtures, including a pedestal sink, are intact in the bathroom. A built-in tiled shower is along the east side of the room. A door on the east elevation leads to the hall and a door on the north leads to the connected sitting room. The sitting room is located in the northwest corner of the second story. A beautiful fireplace in the southwest comer embellishes the room. The fireplace is set at a diagonal in the corner of the room. A simple wood mantel caps the fireplace which is clad with marble. Multi-pane casement windows line the north elevation of the room and a closet is on the east wall. A door adjacent to the closet leads to the second story hall. The guest bedroom and associated bath and sitting rooms are opposite the master suite and sitting room in the northeast comer of the second floor. The guest bedroom (bedroom no. 3) is a light, airy room with four multi-pane windows along the north wall. A fireplace is on the south wall. The simple mantel piece and marble surrounds are flanked by narrow painted wood panels. The guest bathroom is accessed through a hall on the east elevation of the room. All the original fixtures are intact in the bathroom with the exception of a new sink. A door on the south elevation of the guest bedroom leads to a sitting room. The siting room is L-shaped in plan and is illuminated by wide one over one double hung windows along the east wall. A built-in cabinet with a sink above is located on the west elevation. The door on the
south wall of the room leads to the back service hall. The back service hall is L-shaped in plan and has doors to the third floor, the back stairs, the original servant's quarters, and bathroom. Along the eastern elevation of the north-south axis of
the hall is the back staircase to the kitchen and the original servant's quarter (bedroom no.4). The servant's quarters were originally divided into two separate rooms but was later made into one room. One over one double hung windows are on the east elevation of the room. Closets and the original dumbwaiter are on the west side of the service hall. A small bathroom is at the south end of the hall. The door to the third floor and original wood chute door (now laundry chute) are on the south wall of the east-west axis of the hall.
BALLROOM (THIRD FLOOR)
Stairs, located on the south wall of the service hall, lead to the third floor. The stair balustrade is composed of simple square balusters terminating at a square newel post Two doorways are at the top of the stair landing: a door on the east leads to a storage corridor and the door on the west leads to the main ballroom. The ballroom is large expansive room covered with white oak floors . A semi-circular shallow bay with multi-paned diamond shaped windows line the south wall of the room. The bay is elevated one step above the floor of the ballroom and has built-in window seats. A skylight in the center illuminates the room. Smaller rooms, lit by the dormer windows, are located on the east and west sides of the main ballroom. A door on the west wall of the main ballroom leads to a storage alcove lined with cedar. A similar storage closet is located along the east elevation of the room.
BASEMENT
The basement is divided into three main rooms and several smaller auxiliary rooms. At the bottom of the basement stairs is a large room used as the laundry room. Porcelain wash basins, with daylight windows above, are located along the south elevation of the room. An original trash incinerator is on the north elevation along with a door to the back wood storage room. The wood room contains a small bathroom, the door the east side driveway, and the wine cellar. The west half of the basement is a expansive room which contains the commercial size furnace and water heater. An opening on the west side of the room leads to another storage room. The structural supports in the basement are constructed of steel. The foundation is concrete.
LIGHT FIXTURES / FINISHES
The majority of the lighting fixtures in the residence are original. A beautiful brass pendant chandelier is suspended from the main entrance hall ceiling. Brass sconces, some with glass shades, decorate the majority of walls of residence. Woodwork in the hall, living room and kitchen are painted, while the wood work in the library as well as the dining room ceilings has
remained unpainted. Oak hardwood floors cover the first story with the exception of new maple floors in the butler's pantry and kitchen. The second story has been carpeted and the third story ballroom is covered with white oak floors. The window and door hardware are intact.
ALTERATIONS
The Ball/Ehrman Residence is virtually intact on the exterior elevations. The major alterations on the interior include remodeling and updating of the kitchen cabinets by the previous owners in the 1960s. The current owners installed new maple wood floors in the butler's pantry and kitchen. A wall separating the two original servant quarter's rooms has been removed forming one largeroom.
Garage
A stucco clad garage, capped with a brick cornice is located southeast from the residence. The building is covered with a flat roof. The garage is compatible with the residence. It is sided with the same rough cast stucco, and is tied into the landscape with a low stucco wall, also capped with brick. The wooden doors to the garage are currently not on the structure, however they are being stored by the current owners of the building.
SUMMARY
The two-and-a-half-story English Cottage-style house located on SW Laurel at 21st Avenue in the Portland Heights neighborhood of southwest Portland, Oregon that was built for Bert and Charlotte Ball in 1923 was designed by Albert E. Doyle. The house shows distinctly the influence of C. F. A. Voysey and Sir Edwin Lutyens,the leading English exponents of Arts and Crafts architecture, in its double jerkin headed gables on front and back elevations and its unfussy rough-cast exterior. The most distinctive feature of the house, which commands a generous site of four lots (115 x 200 feet, one half of its original full-block setting) , is the wavy shingle thatch roof with its rolled eaves that is carried over sides and fronts of prominent shed dormers in a continuous sweep. The fact that the unusual roofing material has remained intact and in good condition to the present day is remarkable. The house was occupied by the Ball family for a brief period only, owing to Mr. Ball's untimely death. It was acquired in 1928 by William Ehrman, who that year presided over the formation through merger of the General Grocery Company that would become one of the major wholesale grocery concerns of the region. The Ball-Ehrman House meets National Register Criterion C as the best-preserved and fullest expression of English Cottage architecture by A. E. Doyle. It is one of eight residences of the style produced by Doyle's firm in Multnomah County. It is pointed out that Doyle, who had been an apprentice with Portland's leading architects of the turn of the century, Whidden and Lewis, completed his training, commenced his independent practice in 1907, and fell heir to much of Whidden and Lewis's clientele. It is thought, however, that as time went on, the residential work was handled increasingly by Doyle's associates, while the principal concentrated on the important commercial and institutional commissions. Doyle's lifespan ended in 1927, but his firm was continued under his name for a time by his associates. The Ball-Ehrman House is rectangular in plan and oriented with its long axis parallel with the facade facing onto Laurel Street. The main gable is intersected at either end by jerkin-headed cross gables having projecting verges on exposed purlins. At the east end, the roof slopes low to the ground in an ascending curve to cover a patio and a kitchen wing. Front and rear elevations havean otherwise symmetrical composition in which banks of frameless, multi-light casement windows having header brick slip sills provide the pictorial relief in an unarticulated wall plane. The central entrance in the primary street facade is sheltered by a swept shingle thatch lean-to hood supported on squared columns. The wide center bay of the private elevation is an eccentric bow window
fitted with banks of diapered casements. The house has a standard, handsomely-finished interior in the classical Arts and Crafts mode that is unaltered. A compatibly, if plainly finished stucco-clad, two-bay garage is located at the rear of the property, off the southwest corner of the house. It is counted a separately contributing feature.
The Ball / Ehrman Residence, built in 1923 for Bert C, and Charlotte Ball, is significant under Criterion c as the best example of prominent Portland architect A.E. Doyle's English Cottage Style residences. A.E. Doyle designed many of Portland's most important early 20th century commercial buildings including the Meier and Frank Building (1907), the Oregon Hotel (1911),
the Central Public Library (1913), and the Pittock Block (1914), as well as many private residences. Doyle designed seven residences in the English Cottage Style in Portland and one of this style in the Columbia Gorge. The Ball / Ehrman Residence displays many characteristics of the English Cottage Style in its original distinctive wood rolled eave roof, prominent end stucco chimney, dormer windows, rough stucco exterior cladding, multi-paned casement windows, and curvilinear entrance porch roof. The Ball / Ehrman Residence exemplifies the style both in its design and setting.
ALBERT E.DOYLE
Albert E. Doyle, a prominent architect in the Pacific Northwest, designed many of Portland's most notable buildings from 1907 through the 1920s. Doyle was born in Santa Cruz, California July 27, 1877 to James Edward and Mary Oakey Doyle. 1 The family moved to Portland in the 1870s where James Doyle pursued his career as a building contractor. James Doyle became a leading building contractor in Portland and was known in the community for his excellent building and management practices.2 Albert Doyle, the youngest of four children, spent a great deal of time working with his father which provided the necessary building background for his later architectural career. After completing his early education in the Portland school system in 1891, Doyle worked for twelve years as an apprentice to the well known firm of Whidden and Lewis.3 The firm was known for its classical style buildings and were responsible for the proliferation of the Colonial Revival Style in Portland. While working in the office of Whidden and Lewis, Doyle assisted in the design of the Forestry Building (1903) for Portland's 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition.4 Shortly after completion of his work in 1903 for the Exposition, Doyle moved to New York City and studied design at Columbia University. In 1906, Doyle went to Europe on a travelling scholarship. He returned to Portland in December of the same year and started his own office with his partner, construction supervisor William B. Patterson, in January 1907.5The Ball / Ehrman Residence, built in 1923 for Bert C, and Charlotte Ball, is significant under Criterion c as the best example of prominent Portland architect A.E. Doyle's English Cottage Style residences. A.E. Doyle designed many of Portland's most important early 20th century commercial buildings including the Meier and Frank Building (1907), the Oregon Hotel (1911), the Central Public Library (1913), and the Pittock Block (1914), as well as many private residences. Doyle designed seven residences in the English Cottage Style in Portland and one of this style in the Columbia Gorge. The Ball / Ehrman Residence displays many characteristics of the English Cottage Style in its original distinctive wood rolled eave roof, prominent end stucco chimney, dormer windows, rough stucco exterior cladding, multi-paned casement windows, and curvilinear entrance porch roof. The Ball / Ehrman Residence exemplifies the style both in its
design and setting.
THE ENGLISH COTTAGE STYLE
The English Cottage Style in the United States was inspired by English architects such as C.F.A. Voysey and Sir Edwards Lutyens, who looked to traditional cottages of the English countryside for inspiration. The work of these English architects had a large impact on the Arts and Crafts and Period style movement throughout the country. During the period between the two world wars, architects began designing buildings to meet the specific tastes of their clients. During this time, residences in various Period Styles such as Colonial, Spanish Colonial Revival, Tudor and English Cottage were features in new developments along side the more prevalent Bungalow Style. The City Beautiful movement, inspired by Fredrick Law Olmstead in the 1893 Exposition, further promoted Period Style residential designs.11 The movement's aim was to create beautiful cities all over the United States by incorporating picturesque landscape features such as boulevards, lanes, avenues and parks into city plans. In many of the Period Style residences, especially the English Cottage Style, the landscape features played an important part of the design, often adding to the ambiance of the design.
The English Cottage Style characteristics include elements which create a picturesque storybook quality. The residences are generally one and one half or two stories in height and had gable roofs with prominent chimneys. One of the most pronounced feature of the style is the rolled eave roof form. The distinctive rolled eaves are generally flush with the exterior surface of the residence and made of wood laid in a pattern simulating traditional thatched roofs of the English countryside.
Other characteristics include multi-pane windows, dormer windows and arched or rounded window openings. The exterior surfacing material varies from brick or stucco to horizontal or shingle siding. Often the surrounding landscape adds to the storybook or picturesque quality of the residence. Curved sidewalks or sculptured shrubs are an earmarks of the style.
RAT J. I ERHMAN RESIDENCE
The Ball / Ehrman Residence is the best example of Albert E. Doyle's English Cottage Style residences in Portland. The residence was constructed in 1923 for the Bert C. Ball family. Originally the property surrounding the residence encompassed a full city block extending from S.W. Vista Avenue on the east to S.W. Twenty-first on the west and S.W. Laurel Street and S.W. Elm Street on the north and south respectively. The residence was sited on the northwest corner of
the lot and was surrounded by beautiful informal gardens. Although the eastern half of the block was sold off over the years, elements of the original landscape features remain adding to the picturesque quality of the property. The residence displays many characteristics of the English Cottage Style and remains virtually intact. Perhaps one of the most prominent features of the residence is the distinctive rolled eave gable roof. TTie roof is covered with wood shingles in a pattern stimulating the traditional English matched roof type. The Ball / Ehrman Residence is the onljronTof Doyle's English Cottage
designs that retains this original roofing material. Other distinctive features of the residence include a prominent end stucco chimney, dormer windows which are seemly molded into the roof form, rough stucco exterior cladding, multi-paned casement windows, and a curvilinear front entrance porch. The curvilinear front entrance walk, informal garden arrangement, and perimeter plantings enhance the picturesque storybook quality of the residence. The interior of the residence is beautifully designed around a spacious entrance hall and staircase. The stair case is the focal point of the entrance hall. A majority of the original finishes and fixtures remain in the residence evident from the rich, wood panelling in the library and oak floors to main hall chandelier and the brass sconces which illuminate the rooms. An abundance of natural light Miters into the house along the south (rear) elevation evident in the dining room and the breakfast room. The spacious upper hall is surrounded by the bedrooms and the separate service wing is on east side of the second floor.
The Bert C. Ball family only owned the residence for a short period of time from its completion in 1923 to 1928. 12 Bert Ball only resided in the family's new dwelling for less than a year due to his death in 1924. William and Minnie F. Ehrman purchased the house from Charlotte Ball about 1928 and occupied the house until 1956. Prior to purchasing the Ball residence, the Ehrmans previously owned a residence at 745 N.W. Albermarble Terrace in the Westover neighborhood in
Portland. The couple's Albermarble Terrace residence was designed by the well known Portland architect Joseph Jacobberger and built by a development company promoting the new northwest neighborhood.13 William's brother, Edward, was also a prominent entrepreneur in Portland and in 1919 hired A.E. Doyle to design a residence in the Columbia Gorge near Corbett, Oregon for his family.14 This residence was also designed in the English Cottage Style.
THE BERT C. BALL FAMILY
Bert C. Ball was a prominent Portlandler and active in many civic affairs. Ball was born in Grand Island, N.Y. in 1870 to Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Havey Ball.15 Bert Ball's father was a mechanical engineer, a prominent inventor, and founder of the Ball Engine Works in Erie, Pennsylvania. Bert graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey in 1895.16 Around the turn of the century, Ball moved to Oregon and along with his high school friend, Harrison Corbett and took over the management of the Willamette Iron Works in 1901. The Willamette Iron Works, founded in Portland in 1865, was renamed the Willamette Iron and Steel Works by Corbett and Ball. Corbett served as acting president and Ball as chief engineer.17 The company originally known for manufacturing steam powered logging equipment,
later under Corbett and Ball's management began constructing "Shay-type" railroad locomotives and ships (especially during the World Wars).18 After the death of Corbett, Bert Ball became President of the company until his retirement in 1922. The Willamette Iron and Steel Works remained in operation until 1981.
Bert Ball served during the Spanish-American War in the Bureau of Engineering and also was very active in WWI as the head of a company that outfitted more than forty vessels for emergency purposes. He also lead a drive for liberty bonds during the war and was an agent of a board that oversaw the question of wages and working conditions for war laborers. At one time Ball was appointed by Governor Olcott as a consultant hired to recommend revisions to the worker's compensation act and also served as president of the Columbia Basin National Safety Council. He was trustee of the University Club for two years and also a member of Multnomah, Arlington, and Waverly clubs. Active in community affairs, Ball was involved in the Chamber of Commerce and the Community Club. He was also a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
and involved in a chapter of the Pro-Cathedral of St. Stephens the Martyr. Bert C. Ball died from a brain hemorrhage on January 28,1924 at the age of fifty-three.19
Bert C. Ball married Charlotte Whalley in 1904 in Portland. Charlotte was born in Portland on April 11,1875 to Mr. and Mrs. John Whalley.20 Charlotte was a life time member of the Portland Arts Association and a member of the University, Waverly, the Town clubs and St. Stephens Episcopal Church. Bert and Charlotte had one daughter Katherine Deborah Ball Burke and four grandchildren. Charlotte Ball died in October 1954 in Portland at the age of seventy-nine.21
WILLIAM H. EHRMAN FAMILY
William H. Ehrman was a prominent businessperson in Portland instrumental in organizing the General Grocery Company. Ehrman was born in San Francisco on December 3,1885 and moved to Portland in 1906. In 1928, Ehrman helped form the General Grocery Company through a merger of Mason, Ehrman and Co., Lang and Company and Alien and Lewis Company.22 He served as President of the company as it grew to be one of the largest wholesale and retail groceries in Oregon. Ehrman died at the age of sixty-four on July 28,1970.23 Minnie Fleischner Ehrman, wife of William Ehrman, was born in Portland in 1895 to Mr. and Mrs. I.N. Fleischner. Minnie's father was a early civic leader and served as Vice-president of the Lewis and Clark Exposition.24 Minnie remained in Portland all her life with the exception of a short period of time when she studied in Paris. She attended Portland public schools and academies and was active in the Council of Jewish Women, serving as Vice-President and Treasurer.25 During WWII, Minnie was served in the Red Cross and the Civilian's Defense
Organization. Minnie died in June 1964 leaving her husband, William, a son, William R, and a daughter, Mrs. Henry Cohen.
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
The Ball / Ehrman Residence is the best example of Albert E. Doyle's English Cottage Style residences in Portland. Doyle designed approximately fifty-one extant residential buildings from the beginning of his career in 1907 until his death in 1927. He designed eight residences which would be categorized in the English Cottage Style, seven of which are in Portland and one is in the Columbia Gorge near Corbett, Oregon. Most of the categorized residences have only certain features of the English Cottage Style and are not a pure example of the style as the Ball / Ehrman residence.
Only one of Doyle's English Cottage Style houses, the Ball / Ehrman Residence, listed in Portland architect's, George McMath, FAIA, comprehensive list of Doyle's residential works, has been determined eligible for the National Register by Mr. McMath (grandson of A.E. Doyle). The Reed College Faculty Houses are deemed potentially eligible by McMath. The Ball / Ehrman
Residence, the best example of Doyle's English Cottage Style residence in Portland, exemplifies the style both in its design and setting.
ENGLISH COTTAGE STYLE RESIDENCES IN PORTLAND DESIGNED BY A.E DOYLE:
1. E.G. Gordon Residence, 3270 N.E. Alameda Terrace-1920.
2. Reed College Faculty Houses (2 residences), Reed College Campus-1920.
3. Ball / Ehrman Residence, 2040 S.W. Laurel-1923.
4. A.B. Winfree Residence, 2174 N.E. Clackamas-1923.
5. Mrs. Coleman Wheeler Residence, 1841 S.W. Montgomery Dr.-1924.
6. Misses Wuest Residence, 6320 S.E. Yamhill-1925.
7. Anna B. Cracker Residence, 4217 S.W. Kelly-1927.
Note: This list was compiled from the records of A.E. Doyle by George McMath, April 1990.
1 History of Oregon. Vol. 11. (Chicago / Portland: Pioneer Historical Publishing Co., 1922), p. 572.
2 Ibid
Henry F. Whitney and Elsie Rathbum Witney, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects (Deceased). (Los
Angeles: Hennessey and Ingallas, Inc., 1970), p. 181.
4 History of Oregon, p. 110-111.
3 The Neils / Harmon National Register Nomination, Allen-Mc Math-Hawkins Architects, August, 1983, p. 8-1.
° A.E. Doyle Project Records - George A. McMath personal files.
' Thomas Vaughn, Space. Style and Structure: Building in Northwest America. Vol. I. (Portland: Oregon Historical
Society, 1974), p. 327-332.
° The Neils / Harmon National Register Nomination, Allen-Mc Math-Hawkins Architects, August, 1983, p. 8-1
9 Ibid.
1° Ibid.
11 Rosalind Clark, Architecture Oregon Stvle. (Portland, Oregon, 1983), p.154.
12 Portland City Directories, 1920-1960.
13 Oregon Historical Society, Photographic Files-Jacobberger. Portland, Oregon.
^4 A.E. Doyle Project Records - George A. McMath personal files.
15 Oregonian. January 28, 1924, p. 18.
16 Ibid.
17 Ibid.
18 Oreponian. July 31, 1955, p. 17.
19 Oregonian. January 28, 1924, p. 18.
20 Oreyonian. October 9, 1954, p.9.
21 Ibid.
22 Oregon Journal. July 30, 1970, p.5.
23 Ibid.
2* Oregon Reporter. June 1964.
25 Ibid.
Classified as an English Cottage, this home was designed by Albert E. Doyle and built in 1923.
Zillow site: http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2040-SW-Laurel-St-Portland-OR-97201/53835803_zpid/
Further images can be found HERE
Comments from the NRHP application, found HERE
The Ball / Ehrman Residence is a finely Grafted English Cottage Style house located on a large corner lot in the southwest hill of the Portland Heights neighborhood in Portland. The residence was constructed by the prominent Oregon architect, Albert E. Doyle in 1923, for the Bert C. Ball family. Significant under criterion c as being the best example, and most intact, of Doyle's English Cottage Style, the residence displays many characteristics of the style in its distinctive rolled eave roof form, prominent end chimney, asymmetrical plan, dormer windows, stucco exterior, and multi-paned casement windows. The curvilinear front entrance walk, informal garden arrangement, and perimeter plantings further exemplify the picturesque story book quality of the style. The residence is in excellent condition with few modifications.
SITE
The Ball/Ehrman Residence is located on the south side of S.W. Laurel Street, on the corner of S.W. Laurel and Twenty-first streets in the Carter's Addition to the City, in Portland, Oregon. The residence is on a lot measuring approximately 400 feet north-south and 200 feet east-west. The lot encompasses the western half of Block 87; the grounds originally included the entire block. The property is bordered on the north by S.W. Laurel Street, on the west by S.W. Twenty-third Street and on the south by S.W. Elm Street. A driveway is located along the eastern property line and extends from S.W. Laurel to S.W. Elm Street. An iron gate secures the driveway on the S.W. Elm Street entrance. A stucco clad garage, capped with an brick cornice, is located southeast of the residence along the east property line.
A curvilinear brick front walkway extends diagonally from the corner of N.W. Laurel and Twentyfirst streets to the front entrance porch. The path is lined with evergreen shrubs. The brick path extends across the front elevation to the east and west sides of the residence. A stucco wall capped with brick surrounds the back yard. A wood picket gate is on the west side of the wall. The landscape features and vegetation date primarily from the historical period. The northeast corner of the lot is planted with fir trees, rhododendrons, Oregon grape, junipers and barberries. It is landscaped with native rocks. Rows of mature rhododendrons are planted around the front foundation of the residence. A fir tree stands at the northwest corner of the residence. Hydrangeas line the southern portion of the east elevation and a variety of shrubs line the perimeter of the
residence on the rear (south) elevation. The back yard is beautifully landscape in an informal arrangement. A central open grassy lawn area is lined with a variety of plantings. Mature rhododendrons, lilacs, azaleas line the wall along the west interspersed with Hawthorne, plum, and Japanese maple trees. The southern portion of the lot is covered with an array of plantings including firs, azaleas, lilacs, rhododendrons, a black locust, a Japanese maple, and a pink magnolia tree. A small pond is nestled in the south portion of the lot. A stone path leads to the pond from the rear patio. Fir trees cover a small fenced area south of the garage.
EXTERIOR
The two and one half story English Cottage Style residence is rectangular in plan and has a full daylight basement The I-shaped clipped gable roof consist of a central east-west gable intersected at both ends by clipped gables. The north-south gable on the east side sweeps down to the first story covering the patio and service area of the residence. The eave line on this elevation cuts back to the second story in the center of the elevation, forming a U-shape roof line. Covered with wood
shingles, the distinctive roof form simulates a traditional thatched roof pattern. The shallow rolled eaves are supported by simple wood beam brackets. Two shed dormers, incorporated into the rounded contour of the roof form, are located on the east side elevation and one centrally located on the rear (south) elevation. A prominent exterior stucco chimney, topped with clay tile chimney pots, is on the west end of the residence. Two other stucco chimneys are located on the rear(south) elevation; the eastern most chimney has compounded flues capped with clay tile chimney pots.
Rough cast stucco, partially covered with ivy, sheaths the exterior walls of the house. The windows are a combination of multi-paned casement, fixed pane multi-lights, diamond paned casement and fixed pane windows. Void of any trim detail, with the exception of brick windowsills, the windows are flush with the wall surface. The window fenestration is symmetrical on the front (north) and south (rear) elevations. The front elevation is formally composed. Pairs of casement windows punctuate the gable ends on the attic story and bands of multi-pane windows form the second and first story fenestration. The rear (south) elevation is comprised of a central semi-circular bay flanked by end bays formed by the clipped gable ends. The eastern bay projects from the rest of the rear elevation, forming a L-shape. Bands of casement windows with diamond shaped panes line the first and second stories of the central semi-circular bay and the first story of
the east bay. Multi-paned windows punctuate the wall surface on the second and attic stories of the elevation.
The front porch is centrally located on the north elevation and is covered with a simulated thatched wood shingled roof with rolled eaves. An eyebrow curve in the front of the porch roof accentuates the picturesque quality of the residence. Solid square wood posts with brackets support the porch roof. The slightly arched wood panelled front door is flanked by sidelights. There are two patios embodied in the residence; one on the east elevation and one on the rear (south) elevation. The side or east patio is recessed under the second story roof. A low stucco wall capped with brick, and supported by large square posts, encloses the open-air patio. The rear patio is located on the west bay of the rear (south) elevation. The brick patio is recessed under the second story of the end west bay.
Stairs to the basement door are located in the center of the east elevation. An iron fence with gate encloses the staircase. A lattice covered service door is located on the east end of the rear (south) elevation.
INTERIOR
The interior of the Ball / Ehrman Residence is asymmetrical in plan. The living room, dining room and library surround the main entrance hall, which contains the staircase to the second floor. The service area, in east wing of the residence, includes the kitchen, butler's pantry, breakfast room, and side hall. The second floor consists of three bedrooms, two sitting rooms, the servant's quarters and four bathrooms. A ballroom is located on the third floor. The residence has a full basement.
FIRST FLOOR
Hall and staircase
The entrance hall is a large, open room with the main staircase ascending to the upper floors on the west side of the room. The staircase is L-shape in plan and is composed of an elegantly turned balustrade which terminates at a spiraled newel post The walls along the staircase are embellished with panelled wainscotting. The panelled front door is slightly arched, flanked by multi-paned sidelights. Two small closets align the entrance door on the north elevation. The lower portion of
the hall walls are covered with panelled wainscotting and a deep cornice molding finishes the top of the walls. The entrance hall is covered with Parquet wood floors. Doors to the library, back hall, dining room and living room are on elevations of the room. Multi-paned pocket doors on the west side of the hall lead to the living room.
Living Room
The living room is a spacious, rectangular room which extends two thirds the width of the residence. A wide cornice molding defines the top of the walls and the ceiling is embellished with painted boxed beams extending east to west. A fireplace is located in the center of the west elevation of the room, flanked by pairs of casement windows. The classically inspired fireplace has a delicate mantel piece. Tan marble, trimmed with a brass header, surrounds the firebox. Recessed wood panels surround the fireplace. Built-in bookshelves at the south end of the living room flank French doors leading to the rear patio. The floors are oak.
Library
Panelled pocket doors with glass door knobs lead to the library on the east elevation of the hall. The ceiling of the library is embellished with wood beams which extend north-south. A wide cornice molding, finished with dentils, tops the unpainted panelled walls of the room. The central focal point of the room is the fireplace which is on the south elevation. A shallow mantel piece projects slightly over the firebox. Black marble with gold graining, surrounds the firebox and covers the hearth. Recessed built-in bookcases with arched heads flank the fireplace. French doors on the east elevation access the side patio. Built-in shelving caps the French doors. Multipaned casement windows line the north wall of the room.
Dining Room
A wide arched doorway, recessed underneath the main staircase, on the south end of the main hall leads to the dining room. Unpainted boxed wood beams, crossing at the corners, accentuate the ceiling of the room. A wide cornice molding extends around the perimeter of the room as does thepanelled wainscotting. The south wall of the room is comprised of a semi-circular niche with a built-in shelve and a band of diamond shape paned windows above. French doors on the west
elevation lead to the back patio. There are two doors on the east elevation: a door on the north side leads to the butler's pantry and the door on the south side of the wall leads to the breakfast room.
Breakfast Room
The breakfast room is an open, airy room adjacent to the butler's pantry and dining room. The ceilings are embellished with painted boxed wood beams and the walls are sheathed in roughcast stucco. Original green tiles cover the floor. Multi-pane casement and fixed pane windows, on the west and south elevations, illuminate the small room. The windows are recessed from the wall surface creating a deep window ledge. A built-in cabinet, in the center of the east wall, has multipaned
double doors formed in a Tudor arch. A swinging door on the north elevation leads to the butler's pantry.
Butler's Pantry and Back Hall
Original cupboards with glass doors and cabinets line the north and south walls of the butler's pantry. A sink is located in the northeast corner of the room with a multi-pane windows above. The original dumbwaiter (now used as a laundry chute) is on the west elevation of the room and a door adjacent to the dumbwaiter opens to a small storage closet. The floors are maple. A door on the north wall leads to a small vestibule with the wood chute on the west wall and a shallow closet
on the east elevation. The vestibule leads to the back hall. The back hall extends west-east and leads from the entrance hall, at the west end, to the side (east) patio. Two narrow double doors on the north elevation of the hall access a closet. A single French door at the east end of the hall leads to the side patio. A small bathroom is located at the east end of the hall on the south elevation. The hall floors are oak.
Kitchen
The kitchen is L-shaped in plan with the pantry and mud room in the southeast corner of the room. A work island is located in the center of the room. The new stainless steel stove is on the north wall of the room flanked by doors leading to the basement (on the west) and the back service stairs (on the east). An original incinerator is located on the north wall, adjacent to the stove. Cupboards and cabinets line the south wall of the room. The kitchen was remodeled in 1954. The current owners installed maple floors.The pantry is a small room located on the south wall of the kitchen. A double hung multi-pane window, with flour bins below, illuminates the small room on the south elevation. 0>pen shelving lines the west wall and cabinets line the east wall. The original cooling cabinet is located in the northeast corner of the room. The cooling cabinet has double metal doors which have been punctuated for cooling. The small portion of the back of the cabinet is covered with screening and open to the mud room for ventilation. The door to mud room is directly east of the pantry door. A
lattice covered door on the south elevation of the mud room leads to the back yard.
SECOND FLOOR
The main staircase leads to the second story L-shaped hall. Doors in the hall access the bedrooms and the back service hall. A small sitting alcove, with built-in linen closets, is located on the north side of the hall. Three multi-pane casement windows in the center of the alcove light the hall. It the top of the main staircase, a door to the south opens into a large bedroom (bedroom no. 1). A shallow semi-circular bay on the south elevation illuminates the room. The bay has a series of multi-pane casement windows with diamond shaped panes. A window seat is built into the lower portion of the bay. Built-in bookcases are located on the west elevation of the room, nestled into a small alcove. A bathroom is in the southeast corner of the room. The original fixtures, with the exception of the sink, are intact. Small, white hexagonal tiles cover the floor and rectangular tiles sheath the lower portions of the walls. A multi-pane casement window is on the south elevation of the room. The bedroom is connected to an adjacent dressing room through a small hallway on the west elevation. Built-in closets and drawers line the north, south, and east walls of the dressing room. Casement windows are on the west and south elevations of the small room. An original built-in mirrored vanity, positioned at a diagonal, is in the southwest corner of the room. A door on the north elevation of the room leads to the master suite.
The master suite (bedroom no. 2) is a spacious room finished with a narrow cornice molding and high baseboards. Pairs of multi-paned casement windows on the west elevation illuminate the room. Built-in closets are along the south wall of the room flanked by two doors. The door west of the closets leads to the dressing room and the door on the east leads to the bathroom. All the fixtures, including a pedestal sink, are intact in the bathroom. A built-in tiled shower is along the east side of the room. A door on the east elevation leads to the hall and a door on the north leads to the connected sitting room. The sitting room is located in the northwest corner of the second story. A beautiful fireplace in the southwest comer embellishes the room. The fireplace is set at a diagonal in the corner of the room. A simple wood mantel caps the fireplace which is clad with marble. Multi-pane casement windows line the north elevation of the room and a closet is on the east wall. A door adjacent to the closet leads to the second story hall. The guest bedroom and associated bath and sitting rooms are opposite the master suite and sitting room in the northeast comer of the second floor. The guest bedroom (bedroom no. 3) is a light, airy room with four multi-pane windows along the north wall. A fireplace is on the south wall. The simple mantel piece and marble surrounds are flanked by narrow painted wood panels. The guest bathroom is accessed through a hall on the east elevation of the room. All the original fixtures are intact in the bathroom with the exception of a new sink. A door on the south elevation of the guest bedroom leads to a sitting room. The siting room is L-shaped in plan and is illuminated by wide one over one double hung windows along the east wall. A built-in cabinet with a sink above is located on the west elevation. The door on the
south wall of the room leads to the back service hall. The back service hall is L-shaped in plan and has doors to the third floor, the back stairs, the original servant's quarters, and bathroom. Along the eastern elevation of the north-south axis of
the hall is the back staircase to the kitchen and the original servant's quarter (bedroom no.4). The servant's quarters were originally divided into two separate rooms but was later made into one room. One over one double hung windows are on the east elevation of the room. Closets and the original dumbwaiter are on the west side of the service hall. A small bathroom is at the south end of the hall. The door to the third floor and original wood chute door (now laundry chute) are on the south wall of the east-west axis of the hall.
BALLROOM (THIRD FLOOR)
Stairs, located on the south wall of the service hall, lead to the third floor. The stair balustrade is composed of simple square balusters terminating at a square newel post Two doorways are at the top of the stair landing: a door on the east leads to a storage corridor and the door on the west leads to the main ballroom. The ballroom is large expansive room covered with white oak floors . A semi-circular shallow bay with multi-paned diamond shaped windows line the south wall of the room. The bay is elevated one step above the floor of the ballroom and has built-in window seats. A skylight in the center illuminates the room. Smaller rooms, lit by the dormer windows, are located on the east and west sides of the main ballroom. A door on the west wall of the main ballroom leads to a storage alcove lined with cedar. A similar storage closet is located along the east elevation of the room.
BASEMENT
The basement is divided into three main rooms and several smaller auxiliary rooms. At the bottom of the basement stairs is a large room used as the laundry room. Porcelain wash basins, with daylight windows above, are located along the south elevation of the room. An original trash incinerator is on the north elevation along with a door to the back wood storage room. The wood room contains a small bathroom, the door the east side driveway, and the wine cellar. The west half of the basement is a expansive room which contains the commercial size furnace and water heater. An opening on the west side of the room leads to another storage room. The structural supports in the basement are constructed of steel. The foundation is concrete.
LIGHT FIXTURES / FINISHES
The majority of the lighting fixtures in the residence are original. A beautiful brass pendant chandelier is suspended from the main entrance hall ceiling. Brass sconces, some with glass shades, decorate the majority of walls of residence. Woodwork in the hall, living room and kitchen are painted, while the wood work in the library as well as the dining room ceilings has
remained unpainted. Oak hardwood floors cover the first story with the exception of new maple floors in the butler's pantry and kitchen. The second story has been carpeted and the third story ballroom is covered with white oak floors. The window and door hardware are intact.
ALTERATIONS
The Ball/Ehrman Residence is virtually intact on the exterior elevations. The major alterations on the interior include remodeling and updating of the kitchen cabinets by the previous owners in the 1960s. The current owners installed new maple wood floors in the butler's pantry and kitchen. A wall separating the two original servant quarter's rooms has been removed forming one largeroom.
Garage
A stucco clad garage, capped with a brick cornice is located southeast from the residence. The building is covered with a flat roof. The garage is compatible with the residence. It is sided with the same rough cast stucco, and is tied into the landscape with a low stucco wall, also capped with brick. The wooden doors to the garage are currently not on the structure, however they are being stored by the current owners of the building.
SUMMARY
The two-and-a-half-story English Cottage-style house located on SW Laurel at 21st Avenue in the Portland Heights neighborhood of southwest Portland, Oregon that was built for Bert and Charlotte Ball in 1923 was designed by Albert E. Doyle. The house shows distinctly the influence of C. F. A. Voysey and Sir Edwin Lutyens,the leading English exponents of Arts and Crafts architecture, in its double jerkin headed gables on front and back elevations and its unfussy rough-cast exterior. The most distinctive feature of the house, which commands a generous site of four lots (115 x 200 feet, one half of its original full-block setting) , is the wavy shingle thatch roof with its rolled eaves that is carried over sides and fronts of prominent shed dormers in a continuous sweep. The fact that the unusual roofing material has remained intact and in good condition to the present day is remarkable. The house was occupied by the Ball family for a brief period only, owing to Mr. Ball's untimely death. It was acquired in 1928 by William Ehrman, who that year presided over the formation through merger of the General Grocery Company that would become one of the major wholesale grocery concerns of the region. The Ball-Ehrman House meets National Register Criterion C as the best-preserved and fullest expression of English Cottage architecture by A. E. Doyle. It is one of eight residences of the style produced by Doyle's firm in Multnomah County. It is pointed out that Doyle, who had been an apprentice with Portland's leading architects of the turn of the century, Whidden and Lewis, completed his training, commenced his independent practice in 1907, and fell heir to much of Whidden and Lewis's clientele. It is thought, however, that as time went on, the residential work was handled increasingly by Doyle's associates, while the principal concentrated on the important commercial and institutional commissions. Doyle's lifespan ended in 1927, but his firm was continued under his name for a time by his associates. The Ball-Ehrman House is rectangular in plan and oriented with its long axis parallel with the facade facing onto Laurel Street. The main gable is intersected at either end by jerkin-headed cross gables having projecting verges on exposed purlins. At the east end, the roof slopes low to the ground in an ascending curve to cover a patio and a kitchen wing. Front and rear elevations havean otherwise symmetrical composition in which banks of frameless, multi-light casement windows having header brick slip sills provide the pictorial relief in an unarticulated wall plane. The central entrance in the primary street facade is sheltered by a swept shingle thatch lean-to hood supported on squared columns. The wide center bay of the private elevation is an eccentric bow window
fitted with banks of diapered casements. The house has a standard, handsomely-finished interior in the classical Arts and Crafts mode that is unaltered. A compatibly, if plainly finished stucco-clad, two-bay garage is located at the rear of the property, off the southwest corner of the house. It is counted a separately contributing feature.
The Ball / Ehrman Residence, built in 1923 for Bert C, and Charlotte Ball, is significant under Criterion c as the best example of prominent Portland architect A.E. Doyle's English Cottage Style residences. A.E. Doyle designed many of Portland's most important early 20th century commercial buildings including the Meier and Frank Building (1907), the Oregon Hotel (1911),
the Central Public Library (1913), and the Pittock Block (1914), as well as many private residences. Doyle designed seven residences in the English Cottage Style in Portland and one of this style in the Columbia Gorge. The Ball / Ehrman Residence displays many characteristics of the English Cottage Style in its original distinctive wood rolled eave roof, prominent end stucco chimney, dormer windows, rough stucco exterior cladding, multi-paned casement windows, and curvilinear entrance porch roof. The Ball / Ehrman Residence exemplifies the style both in its design and setting.
ALBERT E.DOYLE
Albert E. Doyle, a prominent architect in the Pacific Northwest, designed many of Portland's most notable buildings from 1907 through the 1920s. Doyle was born in Santa Cruz, California July 27, 1877 to James Edward and Mary Oakey Doyle. 1 The family moved to Portland in the 1870s where James Doyle pursued his career as a building contractor. James Doyle became a leading building contractor in Portland and was known in the community for his excellent building and management practices.2 Albert Doyle, the youngest of four children, spent a great deal of time working with his father which provided the necessary building background for his later architectural career. After completing his early education in the Portland school system in 1891, Doyle worked for twelve years as an apprentice to the well known firm of Whidden and Lewis.3 The firm was known for its classical style buildings and were responsible for the proliferation of the Colonial Revival Style in Portland. While working in the office of Whidden and Lewis, Doyle assisted in the design of the Forestry Building (1903) for Portland's 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition.4 Shortly after completion of his work in 1903 for the Exposition, Doyle moved to New York City and studied design at Columbia University. In 1906, Doyle went to Europe on a travelling scholarship. He returned to Portland in December of the same year and started his own office with his partner, construction supervisor William B. Patterson, in January 1907.5The Ball / Ehrman Residence, built in 1923 for Bert C, and Charlotte Ball, is significant under Criterion c as the best example of prominent Portland architect A.E. Doyle's English Cottage Style residences. A.E. Doyle designed many of Portland's most important early 20th century commercial buildings including the Meier and Frank Building (1907), the Oregon Hotel (1911), the Central Public Library (1913), and the Pittock Block (1914), as well as many private residences. Doyle designed seven residences in the English Cottage Style in Portland and one of this style in the Columbia Gorge. The Ball / Ehrman Residence displays many characteristics of the English Cottage Style in its original distinctive wood rolled eave roof, prominent end stucco chimney, dormer windows, rough stucco exterior cladding, multi-paned casement windows, and curvilinear entrance porch roof. The Ball / Ehrman Residence exemplifies the style both in its
design and setting.
THE ENGLISH COTTAGE STYLE
The English Cottage Style in the United States was inspired by English architects such as C.F.A. Voysey and Sir Edwards Lutyens, who looked to traditional cottages of the English countryside for inspiration. The work of these English architects had a large impact on the Arts and Crafts and Period style movement throughout the country. During the period between the two world wars, architects began designing buildings to meet the specific tastes of their clients. During this time, residences in various Period Styles such as Colonial, Spanish Colonial Revival, Tudor and English Cottage were features in new developments along side the more prevalent Bungalow Style. The City Beautiful movement, inspired by Fredrick Law Olmstead in the 1893 Exposition, further promoted Period Style residential designs.11 The movement's aim was to create beautiful cities all over the United States by incorporating picturesque landscape features such as boulevards, lanes, avenues and parks into city plans. In many of the Period Style residences, especially the English Cottage Style, the landscape features played an important part of the design, often adding to the ambiance of the design.
The English Cottage Style characteristics include elements which create a picturesque storybook quality. The residences are generally one and one half or two stories in height and had gable roofs with prominent chimneys. One of the most pronounced feature of the style is the rolled eave roof form. The distinctive rolled eaves are generally flush with the exterior surface of the residence and made of wood laid in a pattern simulating traditional thatched roofs of the English countryside.
Other characteristics include multi-pane windows, dormer windows and arched or rounded window openings. The exterior surfacing material varies from brick or stucco to horizontal or shingle siding. Often the surrounding landscape adds to the storybook or picturesque quality of the residence. Curved sidewalks or sculptured shrubs are an earmarks of the style.
RAT J. I ERHMAN RESIDENCE
The Ball / Ehrman Residence is the best example of Albert E. Doyle's English Cottage Style residences in Portland. The residence was constructed in 1923 for the Bert C. Ball family. Originally the property surrounding the residence encompassed a full city block extending from S.W. Vista Avenue on the east to S.W. Twenty-first on the west and S.W. Laurel Street and S.W. Elm Street on the north and south respectively. The residence was sited on the northwest corner of
the lot and was surrounded by beautiful informal gardens. Although the eastern half of the block was sold off over the years, elements of the original landscape features remain adding to the picturesque quality of the property. The residence displays many characteristics of the English Cottage Style and remains virtually intact. Perhaps one of the most prominent features of the residence is the distinctive rolled eave gable roof. TTie roof is covered with wood shingles in a pattern stimulating the traditional English matched roof type. The Ball / Ehrman Residence is the onljronTof Doyle's English Cottage
designs that retains this original roofing material. Other distinctive features of the residence include a prominent end stucco chimney, dormer windows which are seemly molded into the roof form, rough stucco exterior cladding, multi-paned casement windows, and a curvilinear front entrance porch. The curvilinear front entrance walk, informal garden arrangement, and perimeter plantings enhance the picturesque storybook quality of the residence. The interior of the residence is beautifully designed around a spacious entrance hall and staircase. The stair case is the focal point of the entrance hall. A majority of the original finishes and fixtures remain in the residence evident from the rich, wood panelling in the library and oak floors to main hall chandelier and the brass sconces which illuminate the rooms. An abundance of natural light Miters into the house along the south (rear) elevation evident in the dining room and the breakfast room. The spacious upper hall is surrounded by the bedrooms and the separate service wing is on east side of the second floor.
The Bert C. Ball family only owned the residence for a short period of time from its completion in 1923 to 1928. 12 Bert Ball only resided in the family's new dwelling for less than a year due to his death in 1924. William and Minnie F. Ehrman purchased the house from Charlotte Ball about 1928 and occupied the house until 1956. Prior to purchasing the Ball residence, the Ehrmans previously owned a residence at 745 N.W. Albermarble Terrace in the Westover neighborhood in
Portland. The couple's Albermarble Terrace residence was designed by the well known Portland architect Joseph Jacobberger and built by a development company promoting the new northwest neighborhood.13 William's brother, Edward, was also a prominent entrepreneur in Portland and in 1919 hired A.E. Doyle to design a residence in the Columbia Gorge near Corbett, Oregon for his family.14 This residence was also designed in the English Cottage Style.
THE BERT C. BALL FAMILY
Bert C. Ball was a prominent Portlandler and active in many civic affairs. Ball was born in Grand Island, N.Y. in 1870 to Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Havey Ball.15 Bert Ball's father was a mechanical engineer, a prominent inventor, and founder of the Ball Engine Works in Erie, Pennsylvania. Bert graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey in 1895.16 Around the turn of the century, Ball moved to Oregon and along with his high school friend, Harrison Corbett and took over the management of the Willamette Iron Works in 1901. The Willamette Iron Works, founded in Portland in 1865, was renamed the Willamette Iron and Steel Works by Corbett and Ball. Corbett served as acting president and Ball as chief engineer.17 The company originally known for manufacturing steam powered logging equipment,
later under Corbett and Ball's management began constructing "Shay-type" railroad locomotives and ships (especially during the World Wars).18 After the death of Corbett, Bert Ball became President of the company until his retirement in 1922. The Willamette Iron and Steel Works remained in operation until 1981.
Bert Ball served during the Spanish-American War in the Bureau of Engineering and also was very active in WWI as the head of a company that outfitted more than forty vessels for emergency purposes. He also lead a drive for liberty bonds during the war and was an agent of a board that oversaw the question of wages and working conditions for war laborers. At one time Ball was appointed by Governor Olcott as a consultant hired to recommend revisions to the worker's compensation act and also served as president of the Columbia Basin National Safety Council. He was trustee of the University Club for two years and also a member of Multnomah, Arlington, and Waverly clubs. Active in community affairs, Ball was involved in the Chamber of Commerce and the Community Club. He was also a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
and involved in a chapter of the Pro-Cathedral of St. Stephens the Martyr. Bert C. Ball died from a brain hemorrhage on January 28,1924 at the age of fifty-three.19
Bert C. Ball married Charlotte Whalley in 1904 in Portland. Charlotte was born in Portland on April 11,1875 to Mr. and Mrs. John Whalley.20 Charlotte was a life time member of the Portland Arts Association and a member of the University, Waverly, the Town clubs and St. Stephens Episcopal Church. Bert and Charlotte had one daughter Katherine Deborah Ball Burke and four grandchildren. Charlotte Ball died in October 1954 in Portland at the age of seventy-nine.21
WILLIAM H. EHRMAN FAMILY
William H. Ehrman was a prominent businessperson in Portland instrumental in organizing the General Grocery Company. Ehrman was born in San Francisco on December 3,1885 and moved to Portland in 1906. In 1928, Ehrman helped form the General Grocery Company through a merger of Mason, Ehrman and Co., Lang and Company and Alien and Lewis Company.22 He served as President of the company as it grew to be one of the largest wholesale and retail groceries in Oregon. Ehrman died at the age of sixty-four on July 28,1970.23 Minnie Fleischner Ehrman, wife of William Ehrman, was born in Portland in 1895 to Mr. and Mrs. I.N. Fleischner. Minnie's father was a early civic leader and served as Vice-president of the Lewis and Clark Exposition.24 Minnie remained in Portland all her life with the exception of a short period of time when she studied in Paris. She attended Portland public schools and academies and was active in the Council of Jewish Women, serving as Vice-President and Treasurer.25 During WWII, Minnie was served in the Red Cross and the Civilian's Defense
Organization. Minnie died in June 1964 leaving her husband, William, a son, William R, and a daughter, Mrs. Henry Cohen.
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
The Ball / Ehrman Residence is the best example of Albert E. Doyle's English Cottage Style residences in Portland. Doyle designed approximately fifty-one extant residential buildings from the beginning of his career in 1907 until his death in 1927. He designed eight residences which would be categorized in the English Cottage Style, seven of which are in Portland and one is in the Columbia Gorge near Corbett, Oregon. Most of the categorized residences have only certain features of the English Cottage Style and are not a pure example of the style as the Ball / Ehrman residence.
Only one of Doyle's English Cottage Style houses, the Ball / Ehrman Residence, listed in Portland architect's, George McMath, FAIA, comprehensive list of Doyle's residential works, has been determined eligible for the National Register by Mr. McMath (grandson of A.E. Doyle). The Reed College Faculty Houses are deemed potentially eligible by McMath. The Ball / Ehrman
Residence, the best example of Doyle's English Cottage Style residence in Portland, exemplifies the style both in its design and setting.
ENGLISH COTTAGE STYLE RESIDENCES IN PORTLAND DESIGNED BY A.E DOYLE:
1. E.G. Gordon Residence, 3270 N.E. Alameda Terrace-1920.
2. Reed College Faculty Houses (2 residences), Reed College Campus-1920.
3. Ball / Ehrman Residence, 2040 S.W. Laurel-1923.
4. A.B. Winfree Residence, 2174 N.E. Clackamas-1923.
5. Mrs. Coleman Wheeler Residence, 1841 S.W. Montgomery Dr.-1924.
6. Misses Wuest Residence, 6320 S.E. Yamhill-1925.
7. Anna B. Cracker Residence, 4217 S.W. Kelly-1927.
Note: This list was compiled from the records of A.E. Doyle by George McMath, April 1990.
1 History of Oregon. Vol. 11. (Chicago / Portland: Pioneer Historical Publishing Co., 1922), p. 572.
2 Ibid
Henry F. Whitney and Elsie Rathbum Witney, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects (Deceased). (Los
Angeles: Hennessey and Ingallas, Inc., 1970), p. 181.
4 History of Oregon, p. 110-111.
3 The Neils / Harmon National Register Nomination, Allen-Mc Math-Hawkins Architects, August, 1983, p. 8-1.
° A.E. Doyle Project Records - George A. McMath personal files.
' Thomas Vaughn, Space. Style and Structure: Building in Northwest America. Vol. I. (Portland: Oregon Historical
Society, 1974), p. 327-332.
° The Neils / Harmon National Register Nomination, Allen-Mc Math-Hawkins Architects, August, 1983, p. 8-1
9 Ibid.
1° Ibid.
11 Rosalind Clark, Architecture Oregon Stvle. (Portland, Oregon, 1983), p.154.
12 Portland City Directories, 1920-1960.
13 Oregon Historical Society, Photographic Files-Jacobberger. Portland, Oregon.
^4 A.E. Doyle Project Records - George A. McMath personal files.
15 Oregonian. January 28, 1924, p. 18.
16 Ibid.
17 Ibid.
18 Oreponian. July 31, 1955, p. 17.
19 Oregonian. January 28, 1924, p. 18.
20 Oreyonian. October 9, 1954, p.9.
21 Ibid.
22 Oregon Journal. July 30, 1970, p.5.
23 Ibid.
2* Oregon Reporter. June 1964.
25 Ibid.