The 1929 W. Leland James House, designed by Portland architect Harold Doty in the English Arts & Crafts style, was commissioned by businessman W. Leland James. James founded Consolidated Freightways, a nationwide trucking firm that eventually became Con-Way, and Freightliner, a manufacturer of semi-trucks. James is credited with developing and implementing the concept of long-haul trucking, at a time when railroads still dominated the shipping industry. He had the house, which sits prominently on its site in the Terwilliger neighborhood, designed and built during a high point in his career. It was later occupied by William Gruber, the inventor of the View-Master. Architect Harold Doty was a long-time collaborator with Wade Pipes. Although not as well-known as some of his contemporaries, his work was nonetheless published in the national architectural journal Architectural Record, and an exhibit and lecture on his work was held at the Portland Art Museum after his death in 1943. The W. Leland James House was noted in Classic Houses of Portland, Oregon as Doty’s “finest work.” Source: Oregon State Historic Preservation Office.
