Central Area in Salem in Marion County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)

Benjamin Forstner Store Building/South National Bank Block

1887/c.1923

— Salem Downtown Historic District —

Benjamin Forstner Store Building/South National Bank Block Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, October 14, 2025

1. Benjamin Forstner Store Building/South National Bank Block Marker

Inscription. Originally two buildings, changes in 1923 incorporated a central stairway for access to offices on the second floor. The northern bank portion is probably the only remaining building designed by Holly Cornell (1859-1911), a local architect. For many years, Benjamin Forstner and his family operated a store in the south section of the building.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1887.

Location. 44° 56.526′ N, 123° 2.391′ W. Marker is in Salem, Oregon, in Marion County. It is in the Central Area. It is on Commercial Street Northeast, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 247 Commercial Street NE, Salem OR 97301, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Oregon Wine Country

and in the Willamette Valley.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast,

in the Pacific Northwest,

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

in the Cascade Range,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western

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Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Starkey-McCully Building (a few steps from this marker); South Eldridge Block/Greenbaum Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Anderson Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Pearce Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Breyman Brothers Block (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); New Breyman Block (about 300 feet away); Paulus Building (about 300 feet away); PGE Building (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Salem.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, October 14, 2025

2. Benjamin Forstner Store Building/South National Bank Block Marker

The marker is located inside the entry to the north part of the building as seen by the green arrow.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 19, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 19, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 123 times since then and 101 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 19, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.