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

Starkey-McCully Building

c.1868

— Salem Downtown Historic District —

Starkey-McCully Building Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, October 14, 2025

1. Starkey-McCully Building Marker

Inscription. Only 70 feet of this Italianate building remains, the northern, two-story section of a five-story business block. The cast iron decoration is believed to be the oldest of its kind in Oregon. It was built by Asa McCully and John L. Starkey who had formed a partnership and moved to Oregon after their success in the California Gold Rush.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1868.

Location. 44° 56.517′ N, 123° 2.395′ W. Marker is in Salem, Oregon, in Marion County. It is in the Central Area. It is on Commercial Street Northeast, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 233 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

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North America,

in the Cascade Range,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Benjamin Forstner Store Building/South National Bank Block (a few steps from this marker); Anderson Building (within shouting distance of this marker); South Eldridge Block/Greenbaum 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); Bush-Breyman Block (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Salem.

Also see . . . National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form (1979). Statement of Significance: The substantial, two-story brick masonry commercial block erected for Salem businessmen John L. Starkey, David McCully and William Anderson in 1867 originally extended 120 feet along the west side of Commercial Street—the capital city's

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, October 14, 2025

2. Starkey-McCully Building Marker

historic thoroughfare paralleling the Willamette River. Today, only the northerly 70 feet of the block remains in recognizable form, but the reduced resource is nonetheless significant because, so far as is known, its arcaded ground story front is the oldest architectural cast iron manufactured in Oregon in situ anywhere in the state. In Oregon, the first iron produced from locally-mined ore came from the blast furnace south of Portland which commenced operation as the Oswego Iron Company in 1867. Between 1854, which marked the first use of architectural iron in Portland commercial structures, and the advent of the Oswego Iron Company, the planning of iron-fronted buildings in Portland, Oregon City and Salem depended upon San Francisco foundries. By 1867, however, four Portland foundries were busily meeting increasing demands for architectural iron. Among these was the Oregon Iron Works, which manufactured the ground story front and second story cornice and window cornices for the Starkey-McCully Block in Salem. The Oregon Iron Works had been established in Portland in 1863. Interestingly, shortly

Starkey-McCully Building image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, October 14, 2025

3. Starkey-McCully Building

Beautiful iron work decorative elements exist on the face of the building.

after, the project for Messrs. Starkey, McCully and Anderson was completed, a foundry and iron works was organized in Salem. The latter began operation as the Salem Iron Works in 1868. Owing to massive waterfront clearances in Portland before and after the Second World War and to the general trend of redevelopment in the 1960s and early 1970s, there has been severe attrition of the once extensive array of iron-fronted commercial buildings dating from the late 19th century in the older communities of the Willamette Valley. The Starkey-McCully Block not only has the oldest-known Oregon-made cast-iron architectural elements still in place, it is second oldest of a half dozen brick buildings ante-dating 1870 now standing in Salem. (Submitted on October 19, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon.)

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, October 14, 2025

4. Starkey-McCully Building

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 51 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 19, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.