260 State Street
Murphy Building on September 4, 2006.
This corner is the original site of the two-story W. C. Griswold Block, which was built in 1858 and was Salem's first consequential brick building, with Griswold's store on the first floor and the Oregon Statesman published on the second. It was also Salem's first theatre, the Griswold Theater. The Griswold Block was enlarged to three stories by 1862. A fire on April 17, 1865 destroyed all the wood buildings on this side of Commercial between the Griswold's Block and the brick Holman Building at the other end of the block. The fire resistant brick buildings survived. In the 1880s and 1890s, the Salem Library and the Masonic Hall occupied upper floors of the Griswold Block. The Griswold's Block was known later as the Capitol Hotel, with Schreder-Berg Grocery, J.C. Perry Drugs, and the New Shanghai Cafe on the main floor. Some prominent Salem citizens shared interests in the Griswold Block, including Judge Peter H. D’Arcy and Judge John Joseph Murphy and his wife Elizabeth C. Lister Murphy. Eventually, the Griswold Block was owned by the Murphy’s son, Chester Griffin Murphy, who had become a prominent lawyer in Portland and invested in Oregon real estate.
The Griswold's Block was demolished in 1940, and the Murphy Building, designed by architect Fred Legg, was built to replace it. Beginning in the 1950s, the Murphy Building was leased by Hogg Brothers Furniture and Appliances, which was eventually bought out by McMahan's Furniture.
Historical Photos:
Capital Hotel, January 31, 1937 (Salem Public Library)
Capital Hotel, 1940 (Salem Public Library)
Capital Hotel during demolition, 1940 (Salem Public Library)
Capital Hotel during demolition, 1940 (Salem Public Library)
Hogg Brothers Furniture, 1970-1980 (Salem Public Library)
Murphy Building on September 9, 2006.
On the morning of August 10, 2006, before the McMahan’s Furniture store opened, a fire started in the basement and quickly consumed the building.
Murphy Building on September 9, 2006.
The store was planning to close permanently and a liquidation sale was in progress at the time.
Murphy Building Art Deco Details on September 9, 2006.
After an investigation that found no suspicious evidence, the building was demolished.
Murphy Building on October 3, 2006.
Fire damaged McMahan’s (originally Hogg Brothers) sign on the corner of the Murphy Building on October 3, 2006.
Murphy Building on October 3, 2006.
Murphy Building on October 3, 2006.
Murphy Building on October 3, 2006.
Murphy Building on October 3, 2006.
Murphy Building on October 3, 2006.
Murphy Building on October 3, 2006.
Murphy Building on October 3, 2006.
My job at the time had me going to downtown Salem every few days, and I was able to get pictures of the building at various points in the demolition process.
Murphy Building on November 30, 2006.
Murphy Building on November 30, 2006.
Murphy Building on November 30, 2006.
Murphy Building on November 30, 2006.
Murphy Building on November 30, 2006.
Murphy Building on November 30, 2006.
Murphy Building on November 30, 2006.
Murphy Building on November 30, 2006.
Murphy Building on November 30, 2006.
Murphy Building on November 30, 2006.
Murphy Building on November 30, 2006.
The fire and subsequent demolition revealed some secrets about the Murphy Building's design that had long been hidden behind the Hogg Brothers/McMahan's awnings, like the brick core and windows in the middle of the building.
Murphy Building on November 30, 2006.
Murphy Building on November 30, 2006.
Murphy Building on November 30, 2006.
Though the fire investigation kept the demolition slow at first, it would eventually pick up, signaling the last chance to observe the building's subtle Art Deco-like architectural details.
Murphy Building Art Deco Details on November 30, 2006.
Murphy Building Art Deco Details on November 30, 2006.
Once the investigators were done with the site, the demolition proceeded quickly.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 12, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 12, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 12, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 12, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 12, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 12, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 12, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 12, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 12, 2006.
The contractor used a hydraulic excavator with a concrete crusher attachment to cut into the building's concrete structure.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 12, 2006.
The crusher's powerful jaws easily sliced through the building.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 12, 2006.
With the support cut, the excavator's arm could easily knock down large pieces of the floor.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 12, 2006.
The following video clip shows the concrete cutter in action on December 12, 2006, the same day the pictures at left were taken.
It didn't take long to demolish the rest of the building. By the next day, only half of the structure was standing.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 13, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 13, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 13, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 13, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 13, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 13, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 13, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 13, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 13, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 13, 2006.
Murphy Building Demolition on December 13, 2006.
The next time I came by, December 16, 2006, it had been completely demolished.
Murphy Building Site on December 16, 2006.
Murphy Building Site on December 16, 2006.
Continue to 10: Pioneer Trust Bank…
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