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

Hughes-Durbin Building

(Metropolitan Building)

— 1916 —

Hughes-Durbin Building Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, October 14, 2025

1. Hughes-Durbin Building Marker

Inscription.
This property has been listed in the
National Register of Historic Places
by the National Park Service
in partnership with the
Oregon State Historic Preservation Office.

Preservation of this historic property is supported by the
Oregon Special Assessment Program.

Erected by Oregon Special Assessment Program.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1916.

Location. 44° 56.435′ N, 123° 2.303′ W. Marker is in Salem, Oregon, in Marion County. It is in the Central Area. It is on Liberty Street Northeast, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 160 Liberty 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,

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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: Roth Company Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Ekerlen (Bishop) Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Public Amusement in Salem (within shouting distance of this marker); Reed Opera House (within shouting distance of this marker); McGilchrist Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Gray Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Pomeroy Building (within shouting distance of this marker); All Aboard! (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Salem.

Additional commentary.
1. Contributing Building
The Hughes-Durbin Building (Metropolitan Building) is not individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places but is a contributing building as part of the Salem Downtown State Street-Commercial Street Historic District. The following verbiage is taken from the NRHP Registration Form from 2001:

Description: This is a

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, October 14, 2025

2. Hughes-Durbin Building Marker

three-story commercial stucco-faced concrete Modem style building, believed to have been built c. 1945. The western facade is accented with low-relief fluting along the outer edge of the facade running vertically from atop the transom lights at the ground level to the plain, unadorned, flatparapetted entablature. The second and third floor fenestration consists of five centrally positioned six-oversix, double-hung wood sash windows. The ground floor has transom lights as well as aluminum sash display windows, with a brick “bulkhead”, a recessed main entrance, and accented by black “Carerra Glass.” While portions of the storefront appear to date from the 1940s, some portions, such as the aluminum sash windows, appear to date from the 1960s. This building continues to display its historic character and contributes to the qualities of the downtown district.

History and Significance: The original Hughes-Durbin Building was built in 1916 at this location. It was a two-story brick building. This building appears to have been constructed c.1945 and although remnants of the original building may remain, the materials, design and overall appearance

Hughes-Durbin Building image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, October 14, 2025

3. Hughes-Durbin Building

changed so drastically it is considered to have been constructed in the 1940s. This building is associated with the lives of the Hughes and Durbin families, prominent in the commercial and agricultural vitality of the Salem community.

Nearly ten years after J.F. Hughes and Frank W. Durbin bought this lot they had a two-story structure built on it in 1916. A party wall agreement was signed with adjoining property owners in October that year. Following construction of the building. Lulu Bush acquired part interest in the property as well. The Hughes-Durbin Building became the home of Salem’s J.C. Penny store in the 1920s and remained so for the next several decades. The title search indicates that a new warranty deed was acquired in 1945, at which time it appears the current building was constructed. The property remained in the ownership of descendants of the Hughes and Durbin families into the 1980s.

Frank W. Durbin, born in Salem, Oregon, in 1866, turned to agriculture for his livelihood at a young age. Over time, he became an authority on the breeding of Holstein cattle and a successful hop grower. Frank and his wife, Clemma M.

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Sellady Durbin, raised three children, Barbara Cross, Maude Ann Pearson, and Frank, Jr. J. Frank Hughes, part owner of the building, managed the John Hughes Company.

— Submitted October 21, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 21, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 20, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 50 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 20, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. 3. submitted on October 21, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.