Railway building

railway bldg3
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Today started out good. I've been assigned to a new project and new responsibilities etc. Everything has been vague for a little over a month, yet last week, things began to gel. I awoke this morning around 5:30 and actually did some work. That may not surprise some, but others know me and I am the first to observe the 8-5 rules of work. So... getting up to do some work is outside the scope of my life. What I am trying to say is that I felt excited and energized about the task at hand. The day progressed positively until around 2:15pm. At that time, in a meeting, it was implied that something I was excited to pursue was a pipe dream for me - and it was put that way by an individual who is in the know. Pardon the vaugueness, but co-workers may read this blog. Needless to say, I left work in a shitty mood. A bit depressed, a bit frustrated. I decided to do some walking. I had hit Whole Foods for lunch to get some cereal and rice milk, so had a full bag. I proceeded to cruise down Yamhill to 2nd and then over towards old town. There were drips in the air, but nothing that would make me melt. I needed the time to think and resolve the issues going through my head. I ended up down off 1st ave where some of the galleries were. I had missed MAX, so kept walking toward the next stop @ Skidmore Fountain. That is when I saw the Railway building- noted to the right. The Railway Building was built in 1872 and became the Scottish Bank Building in 1876. Other than the plaque on the front of the building, that is all I know. Being on 1st ave, it is safe to believe it was a locale that was integral in Portland's early days.

What I love about this and other old buildings is the detail work done by the masons. Atop the building is men's heads as reliefs. Also, built into the lower parts of the building are cast iron pieces. One thing many people don't know about Portland history is that Captain Ankeny, a Portland Founder was integral in the building and growth of what is now old town. Ankeny was a leader in building buildings using cast iron instead of brick. Cast Iron was easier to assemble as it was pre-fab. It required fewer workers and could be errected faster. It looks like stone when painted.
Well, that's today's lesson in Portland buildings and walking. Hope you enjoyed...