Dr. J. W. Barnard Building

JOSEPH, OREGON · 1908

Dr. J. W. Barnard Building and First National Bank of Joseph

Two adjoining brick buildings erected by a physician, a rancher, and a banker—a shared wall telling the economic story of early Joseph, Oregon.

At a glance

The Dr. J. W. Barnard Building and First National Bank of Joseph stand side by side at 12–14 Main Street in Joseph, Oregon. Built in 1908, they share a common interior wall and a matching footprint of 25 by 60 feet (7.6 m × 18.3 m). Local contractor Frank Marr constructed both buildings; the design of the Barnard Building came from the Chicago firm of J.A. Flesch & Son.

History

Joseph physician Dr. J. W. Barnard, rancher Ludwig Knapper, and banker Frederick Scribner pooled their investment to create the pair. The First National Bank Building operated as a bank until the institution failed in 1925. After that, the space served as Joseph’s post office.

What you see

Frank Marr, a local contractor, raised both buildings in 1908. The Barnard Building reflects a design prepared in Chicago by J.A. Flesch & Son. Each structure measures 25 by 60 feet, and the two buildings meet at a shared interior wall—a practical arrangement that linked their fates from the start.

Cultural significance

The pair was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. The listing includes two contributing buildings, recognizing their combined role in the commercial history of Joseph.

Key facts

Country: United States
City: Joseph, Oregon
Coordinates: 45.3519, -117.2281
Year built: 1908
National Register listing: 1991
Contributing buildings: 2

Practical information & getting there

Joseph is a small town in northeastern Oregon, in the Wallowa Valley. The two buildings stand at 12–14 Main Street, in the center of Joseph. The nearest larger towns are Enterprise, about six miles northwest, and La Grande, roughly an hour west by car on Oregon Route 82. Joseph is not served by passenger rail, so a car or regional bus is the usual way to arrive. Street parking is available along Main Street.

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