Historic Walking Tour - L.G. Kline Building

Significance

Stephen Dow Beckham, 1976 

This two story, brick building has a rectangular shape and a flat roof. This structure has an elegant and ornate cast iron facade on its east (front) elevation. Although it has been removed on the first floor, most of the facade remains intact on the second story. It has four window bays of one-over-one, double hung sash windows surrounded by metal pilasters decorated with flower garlands. Five bays of windows remain on the second floor on the south elevation. Each of the window bays on the south elevation is decorated by a metal pediment entablature. 

The Sanborn Insurance Maps of Corvallis show that in 1884 this building was a General Store and that in 1888 it was a hardware store. 

Addendum to 1976 Statewide Inventory Form 

This building was built for L. G. Kline in 1889. Although it was noted on the 1976 Statewide Inventory Form for this property that this building is illustrated on the 1884 and 1888 Sanborn maps, further investigation reveals that these buildings are wood-frame buildings. 

For biographical information on L. G. Kline, see the National Register form for the L. G. Kline House. The current building is significant as one of Corvallis' only remaining examples of a building incorporating cast iron in its design. Only one other building, the 1890 E. W. Fisher Building, has any cast iron visible. Unlike the L. G. Kline building, however, the E. W. Fisher Building has been substantially remodeled. The L. G. Kline Building has the most intact 19th century 2nd story facade of any Corvallis commercial building.