174-188 Commercial Street NE
Breyman Brothers Block on September 4, 2006.
Brothers Werner and Eugene Breyman immigrated from Bockenem, Hanover, Germany to Wisconsin in 1846 and 1953 respectively. Werner came overland to Oregon from Milwaukee in 1850, and Eugene came via Panama in 1855. They formed a business partnership in 1856 and initially operated at general merchandise store in Lafayette, Oregon, and at a crossroads that became Amity. They came to Salem in 1863-1864 and opened a store in the Moore Block at the corner of Commercial and State. They purchased this property in 1869 and built the corner building shown here in 1874. The building originally had Italian architecture and was painted white, and it became known as the White Corner. Their business was said to be the largest retail and wholesale general merchandise store in Oregon outside of Portland. The Breyman Brothers retired from the merchandise business in 1880 and turned to real estate development and the loan business. The building next to the “White Corner” was built in 1904, replacing three buildings from the 1870s. It also originally had Italianate architecture. Each of the Breyman brothers had three children, each of which inherited a 1/6th interest in the property. By the late 1940s, the property had become associated with Reuben Breyman Boise, son of Reuben P. Boise and Eugene Breyman’s daughter Minnie, and the Breyman/Boise family modernized the exteriors of both buildings to a unified Modern appearance with a stucco finish. In the year 2000 the building was still under Boise family ownership.
Additional Links:
174 Commercial Street NE at Salem Online History
188 Commercial Street NE at Salem Online History
Historical Photos:
Breyman Building, 1874 (Salem Public Library)
National Guard on Commercial St. in 1883 (Oregon State Library)
Parade on Commercial Street, July 2, 1938 (Salem Public Library)
Breyman Block, 1960s (Salem Public Library)
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