Benjamin Hamilton House Address:   552 NW State Street, Bend, OR. Year Built:  1923 Architect:  Unknown Builder:  Unknown Landmark Status:  National Register of Historic Places Located on the east-side of State Street in Park Addition, the Benjamin Hamilton House faces due northwest on the corner of State Street and Kansas Avenue in Bend, Oregon. Within the 50' x 120' lot, the house sits directly in the center of the perfectly flat property facing State Street. The home has a small one bay garage, located adjacent to the alleyway, and is accessed from Kansas Avenue. Landscaping on the site consists of flowerbeds around the perimeter of the home, thirteen medium size crabapple trees in the landscape strip, a small grove of aspen tress in the side yard . The Benjamin Hamilton House is also a double-front facing bungalow sub-type, and retains its original character and charm. Built in 1923 for Benjamin Hamilton and his family, the House is rectangular in plan and is broken by the attachment of a small, 5’ wide rectangular bay window on the north façade. The Craftsman style of the home is emphasized by the use of a variety of natural, local materials such as wood, brick and basalt stone. Typical Craftsman detailing include 4 ½ " clapboard siding, a large 12" water table band, exposed rafter tails and simple A-frame style eave brackets which support large, two-foot roof overhangs. Piercing the roof is a simple brick chimney on the exterior of the north facade. This large entry porch at 7’ deep x 16’ long is supported by three tapered posts resting on battered pier bases of basalt stone. Contrary to the common belief that most Craftsman Bungalows have dark interior spaces, the Hamilton House sports a variety of windows, which create a light and bright interior space. Two large sets of windows which, consist of a 12-over-1 double-hung window flanked on either side by a single 6-over-1 double-hung window, allow a large amount to light into the Master Bedroom and into the living room space. Several 9-over-1 double-hung windows are found individually and grouped in pairs around the sides and rear of the house to allow further light into the home. Once inside the open and bright feel of the exterior is apparent. Most of the interior walls of the Hamilton House are original lath and plaster. All interior woodwork is simple in design with a rectangular profile of 5" on door and window surrounds. All interior woodwork, including the single panel doors, have been painted white. Interior hardware is of a simple rectangular design finished in brass, which highlights cut-glass door knobs. No original light fixtures remain in the house. Floors throughout the house are 3" tongue-and-groove fir decking. The centerpiece of the Hamilton House, like the Jones House is the fireplace in the living room. The fireplace surround, constructed of blond brick, is of an ornate design using a combination of rough and smooth face brick to create a rectangular center panel just above the fireplace opening. The inner and outer hearths of poured concrete are laid flush with the floor. Flanking each side of the fireplace surround are built in bookcases, a typical feature of the Craftsman style which boast leaded glass doors designed in a geometric triangular pattern. Matching the living room bookcases, is this 4’6" long sideboard which has been incorporated into the north wall of the dining room. Here four drawers and two leaded glass cabinet doors hold the family china, linens and keepsakes. The sideboard is mounted flush with the interior walls, and was created by using a small rectangular bay window which protrudes out from the north facade. The Benjamin Hamilton House is historically significant for its high artistic value as classified under criterion "C". Built in 1923, at the height of the Craftsman style, the Benjamin Hamilton House boasts numerous intact features typical of the Craftsman Bungalow style. The property also has an associative significance under Criterion "B" as the primary residence of Benjamin Hamilton and his family from 1923 to 1946. As Manufacturing Superintendent for Shevlin-Hixon Lumber Company, Hamilton was directly associated to the expansion and growth of the Shevlin-Hixon Lumber Mill in Bend during the 1920s and 1930s. Hamilton remained at his post until the mill closed down in 1950. Before coming to Bend, Hamilton had meet and married Elsa M. Acton. Together they raised two children, Wayne B. and Evelyn in the home. As a side note Hamilton’s son Wayne became Bend’s first director of the Parks & Recreation Department, and is noted as the founder of Little League Baseball in the State of Oregon. Hamilton was active in many civic and community affairs. An editorial in the Bend Bulletin after his death noted that, "when any program for community improvement was underway you could always expect Ben Hamilton to be in the thick of it." Some of his activities included president of the Kiwanis Club, chapter president of the Bend Red Cross and early an members of the Bend Golf Club. Hamilton’s greatest civic achievement however was being one of the key members who helped campaign for a new St. Charles Hospital in Bend where he served on the board of directors as second Vice-President.

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