Artist Rick Cook sent some great photos and information about his historic gallery building in Port Orford.
The first time I saw a photo of my house/gallery building was at Patrick Masterson’s photo shop (Patrick Masterson has a great historical book on Port Orford). His shop was in the building where Joyce Spicer has her basket studio, Laughing Baskets Studio. My house was built in the 1890’s by P.J. Lindberg for Nels and Mary Nielsen. It has had two fires, once in the very early 30’s and one later circa early 60’s when the Bernal Forty family owned it.
I am trying to date this Hazeltine Bros. photo [The eldest Hazeltine Brother, Martin, died in 1903, George died in 1918]. I think it was also a postcard. Pat showed me a larger blowup. I can’t believe the great clarity. It doesn’t have the Forty House. It does have the Marsh House up above, overlooking the port.Below is a photo I took in 1978 with my ’36 Pontiac. My brother inlaw lived in [the Marsh House] for a short while.
Some call [the Marsh House] the Blaine Marsh House. I believe it was built 1912/1913 It was built in the Craftsman Bungalow style. Myrtle McGill Forty stated her father built the Marsh House at the North end of town, where the RV park is today. Douglas McGill built that house in 1916 for Ames Johnston.
A few more photos for the archive from Alan Mitchell, in response to a recent contribution from Rick Cook –
My house has had two fires, once in the early 30’s and later in the 60’s when Bernal Forty and his family owned it.
Below is a cropped version of the much more detailed c1910 Hazeltine Bros Photo with the original 2nd story.
View Port Orford South End – Click for photograph details
Another view from a postcard (circa 1949) of Main Street showing the same buildings:
… and another photograph with a rebuilt 2 story ‘Rick Cook Gallery’ in the background featuring Orville Ewing and his Touring Menagerie from Pritchett, Colorado (c1940).
Rick Cook – Two Story
A postcard dated September 29, 1912 and similar to the ‘Hazeltine Bros.’ photo:
Thanks, Rick!
Deborah Masterson
So Blain Marsh lived in the House during the 40’s 50’s …. My Mother Lived across the Street at the Original Castaway (not the Neptune) and my Dad Patrick Masterson lived below at the Lindberg (Masterson) house. Blain Marsh was my dads Best Man at his Wedding to my Mother Sandra Rohner at the Castaway. They had the best stomping ground as kids growing up in Port Orford.
Jennifer Forty/Huffstetter Reynolds
I believe the fire in the Rick Cook Gallery was accidentally started by my mother in her bedroom when she was a child…..Elaine Forty. They lost the top story at some point. Not sure if that happened during that fire or one later. The home was originally owned by my grandparents Bernal and Frances Fernell Forty.
Rick Cook
Thanks Jennifer, you clarified when the second fire happened and by whom.
David Bassett
Very interesting and enlightening indeed. Thank you!
Rick Ott
Great to remember the years I lived in Port Orford in the early ’80s. And really enjoyed being around Rick and being able to enjoy his creative furniture pieces. Rick- If you see this, hope you are doing well.