About the Fourplex

ABOUT THE FRANCIS MARION STOKES FOURPLEX AND ITS ARCHITECT

The Francis Marion Stokes Fourplex, formerly known as the Kuhn Apartments building, 2253 NW Pettygrove Street, Portland, Oregon, is a fine example of a Mediterranean Revival apartment building. It one of the few Fourplex apartment buildings constructed in this style in Portland. It is laid out on a rectangular plan with each floor divided into an east and a west apartment.

The building is clad in smooth stucco typical of the Mediterranean style, and has a flat roof. Centered on the symmetrical south (front) elevation is an enclosed entry porch having a pointed horseshoe arch in a Moorish style, decorated with wooden false beams. Above the entry porch is a rectangular salient holding a pair of arched windows divided by a spiraled column mullion. The pair of windows are inset i n a deep blind arch. Both the porch and the salient have tiled pent roofs. Flanking the entry porch are large tri-partate windows surrounded by highly decorated frames; above each of these is a pair of blind arches with decorative ceramic tiles inset in tympanums. Each arch has a double hung window, one over, and a corbelled wrought-iron balconet. The east and west sides of the building each have stuccoed balconies at the first and second floor, chimneys servicing both levels, and flanking windows. The north elevation (rear) is fairly plain, except for an interesting arrangement of windows and a rear door.

The Kuhn Apartments building is an excellent example of a well-preserved Mediterranean style Fourplex. No exterior changes have been made, and only a few interior changes, such as upgrading to gas furnaces. The interior of the building has the original hardware, light fixtures, cabinetry and glass, all displaying fine craftsmanship.

The building was designed by Francis Marion Stokes for Esther Kuhn of Portland, Oregon, and built in 1926 at a cost of $15,000. Stokes became owner of the building during 1926. From 1929 until his death in 1975, Francis Marion Stokes lived in the Fourplex. This was his most significant period of professional activity. Francis Marion Stokes, and his father William Resor Stokes, formed two generations of a Portland design and architectural tradition lasting for over 80 years, from 1882 through the 1960s.

William R. Stokes arrived in Portland in 1882. The next year, William joined Richard Zeller in creating the firm of Stokes and Zeller, working as both architects and builders. For forty years, the firm designed churches, schools, hospitals, fraternal buildings and commercial structures with special attention to residences and apartment buildings.

The old furnace prior to the upgrade to natural gas

William Stokes worked until 1920, concentrating on buildings on the east side of Portland. The work of Francis Marion Stokes continued, and expanded, that of his father. The younger Stokes was trained in architecture a t the Oregon Agricultural College in Corvallis. His training continued under his father's direction during the years he spent as a clerk and architect for with Stokes and Zeller. By 1916, Francis Marion was president of Stokes and Zeller, a position he held until 1936-37. Francis Marion Stokes enlarged the geographical scope of the firm, designing buildings throughout Portland. His designs were more cosmopolitan than those of his father, and used many building styles for over 270 buildings completed during a career that spanned five decades. Most of his work was completed during the 46 years he lived in the Fourplex.

The 80 years of combined design work of the Stokes family had a major impact on the architecture of Portland. Many of Francis Marion Stokes' buildings are listed on the City of Portland Historic Resource Inventory. They include the Williams Company Building, 2045 N.E. Union (1936); and the F.M. Dammasch Home, at 1834 S.E. 22nd. Avenue. Besides the Fourplex, another building is on the National Register of Historic Places: the St. Johns Post Office, a Georgian-style building constructed at 8720 N. Ivanhoe in 1920.

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