Joel Palmer House Dayton, Oregon
National Register of Historic Places Data
The Joel Palmer House has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places with the following information, which has been imported from the National Register database and/or the Nomination Form. Please note that not all available data may be shown here, minor errors and/or formatting may have occurred during transcription, and some information may have become outdated since listing.
- National Register ID
- 87000403
- Date Listed
- March 16, 1987
- Name
- Palmer House
- Other Names
- Krake Residence
- Part of
- Dayton MRA (Multiple Property Submission)
- Address
- 600 Ferry St.
- City/Town
- Dayton
- County
- Yamhill
- State
- Oregon
- Category
- building
- Level of Sig.
- state
- Years of Sig.
- 1857; 1860; 1911
- Areas of Sig.
- EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT; ARCHITECTURE
Description
Text courtesy of the National Register of Historic Places, a program of the National Parks Service. Minor transcription errors or changes in formatting may have occurred; please see the Nomination Form PDF for official text. Some information may have become outdated since the property was nominated for the Register.
The Joel Palmer Residence is "T" shape in plan, two stories high and five asymmetrical bays
across the front facade. It has a brick foundation, with a partial basement, shiplap siding, a wood shingle gable roof with boxed eaves, and two brick chimneys. The windows are one over one double hung sash with pronounced cornices except for the south section of the house which has six over four double hung sash windows. The front door has one light and multipaned sidelights. The two story portico, centered on the front facade, has six turned columns and a gable roof. According to one of Palmer's grandaughters, the house, was originally built as a one story structure with an attic in 1857. It was remodeled in the 1860 when a two story addition was constructed on the front. An extensive remodeling of the home took place again in 1911 when the one story hipped roof front porch was replaced by the Colonial Revival style portico. The original nine over six double hung windows were also replaced. It also appears that the siding may have been changed from clapboards to the existing shiplap. The center window on the second story was replaced with a small diamond shaped window. Operable shutters have been added to most of the windows. The house measures 46' X 45'.
History
Text courtesy of the National Register of Historic Places, a program of the National Parks Service. Minor transcription errors or changes in formatting may have occurred; please see the Nomination Form PDF for official text. Some information may have become outdated since the property was nominated for the Register.
This residence Is significant because of its association with Joel Palmer, co-founder
of the City of Dayton and 1850 Donation Land Claim settler. In the spring of 1845, Palmer started overland for Oregon; his recounting of his journey in Journal of Travels Over the Rocky Mountains, published in 1847, served as a guide for many Oregon bound immigrants. In Oregon, he served as Commissary-General of volunteer forces in the Cayuse War, and as a peace emissary. In 1853, after laying out the Town of Dayton, he became Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Oregon Territory, an office he served with distinction, bending his enormous energy and personal magnetism to the difficult task of securing Oregon lands from the warring Indian tribes without provoking them
into warfare. He negotiated 9 of 15 treaties of cessation made, November 29, 1854-December 21, 1855; and negotiated the problems of the Yakima Indian War. In 1857, he was removed from office, not because he hadn't done a good job, but because of his tolerant consideration for the Indians in carrying out his reservation policy, and his restraint of settlers' activities." (Dictionary of Oregon History, p. 191). Upon his return to Dayton in 1857, he built the house for his family residence. He was active in a variety of business enterprises, including a sawmill, located on Palmer Creek to the southeast of his home. During these years he was active in politics, serving as the Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1862, State Senator from
1864 to 1866. In 1870, he was defeated as the Republican candidate for Governor. He
died in 1881 and is buried in the Brookslde Cemetery. The Fort Yamhill Blockhouse, and a Historical Marker, located in Courthouse Square Park (Resource #15), are monuments
to his accomplishments.
Statement of Significance
Text courtesy of the National Register of Historic Places, a program of the National Parks Service. Minor transcription errors or changes in formatting may have occurred; please see the Nomination Form PDF for official text. Some information may have become outdated since the property was nominated for the Register.
This residence is significant on a local and statewide level because of its association with Joel Palmer, co-founder of Dayton, Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Oregon Territory, and State legislator. The Palmer House meets National Register Criterion B as the property most importantly associated with Joel Palmer, a figure of surpassing
significance in the military and Indian affairs of the Oregon Territory. All alterations of substance were made by Palmer himself or by his heirs during the family's period of occupancy.
