Stearns Hardware (Oakland, Oregon)
- Title
- Stearns Hardware (Oakland, Oregon)
- LC Subject
- Architecture, American Architecture--United States
- Photographer
- Ross, Marion Dean
- Description
- This image is included in Building Oregon: Architecture of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, a digital collection which provides documentation about the architectural heritage of the Pacific Northwest.
- View
- exterior: view from road
- Provenance
- Design Library, University of Oregon Libraries
- Temporal
- 1900-1909
- Work Type
- architecture (object genre) built works views (visual works) exterior views facilities, commercial mercantiles (buildings) stores breweries
- Latitude
- 43.421996
- Longitude
- -123.29848
- Location
- Douglas County >> Oregon >> United States Oregon >> United States United States Oakland >> Douglas County >> Oregon >> United States
- Street Address
- 204 Locust Street
- Date
- 1905
- Identifier
- pna_03135
- Item Locator
- 726 AmO OA5 7S-2 1; 87-5831
- Rights
- In Copyright
- Rights Holder
- University of Oregon
- Source
- Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/HCD/SHPO/
- Type
- Image
- Format
- image/tiff
- Set
- Building Oregon
- Primary Set
- Building Oregon
- Institution
- University of Oregon
- Note
- "Hon. FRANCIS C. SELS. Like to many of our most thrifty and enterprising citizens, Mr. Sels was born of good old German stock in Westphalia, his native town being Meschede, and the date of his nativity 1837. At the age of seventeen the attractions of the "Fatherland" were left behind, farewells were spoke to the friends and relatives, and young Sels turned his face to the Mecca of the world's advancement, America, and opened a career that was destined to be fraught with stirring activities, crowded with events and crowned with becoming success. On December 31, 1854, he reached California, and on July 1862, he set foot in what is now Canyon City. That summer was spent in mining in the Prairie diggins, four miles northeast from Prairie City, and the following spring he opened a general merchandise establishment in Canyon, his partner being E. J. W. Stemme, who has been his companion on his journeys hitherto. In this business Mr. Sels continued until 1866, when he sold out to his brother, H. R. Sels. From 1864 to 1866 he was justice of the peace, and the last year of that time was also postmaster, which he resigned to accept the treasurership of the county, having been elected to that position in 1866. Two years later he was chosen state senator, defeating his opponent, John Driblesby, by a majority of five votes, he being the only Republican candidate that was elected. Driblesby carried the matter to the senate in contest and secured his seat because Mr. Sels had an undecided contest on his hands with L. O. Stearns from the election of 1866. In 1869 he took a pleasure trip back to his native land, and upon returning to Canyon in 18760 was elected county judge, which position he held for four years. In 1870 Mr. Sels bought the brewery in Canyon City, and two weeks later it was destroyed by fire. Immediately he rebuilt fireproof buildings and gave his attention to the prosecution of this business, which he has successfully operated since, in addition to the varied and numerous public positions that he has faithfully and efficently filled. It is of note that when he was in The Dalles in 1863 buying goods, that his train was attacked by the Indians when fifteen miles out from Canyon City. Again, the next year, the attack was repeated, but in both cases the savages were repulsed. During the long and interesting career of our subject he has never entered the matrimonial state, choosing rather the quietness of celebacy, than the cares and responsibilities of domesticity. And now in the golden time of life, with the pleasures of a goodly competence that his sagacity and enterprise have accumulated, Mr. Sels is enjoying to the utmost his portion, being also favored with the respect, esteem and confidence of all that are numbered in his acquaintanceship. Source: An lllustrated History of Baker, Grant, and Harney Counties (Chicago: Western Historical Pub., 1902), p. 460.