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About The Southwest Portland Post. (Portland, Oregon) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2008)
feAtuReS 8 • The Southwest Portland Post May 2008 McMullen family wants to keep Crestwood estate intact December 2007, 99-year-old Kathleen moved to an apartment off Wesley’s Far Southwest home. “We need to sell the property but have great sentimental attachment,” said Wes When Kathleen Reif McMullen McMullen, who is vice-president of the helped her husband Floyd build their Crestwood Neighborhood Association. Crestwood home, Southwest 53rd Av- A lifelong commitment to the commu- enue and Alfred Street were the only nity and respect for Floyd McMullen’s platted streets in the neighborhood. In botanical contribution put the family 1941, nearby Taylors Ferry Road was a in a dilemma. rural road with an occasional passing They want the property kept in one car. Logged in the early 1900’s, small piece and preserved; the house, old trees and brushland covered the now growth fi r trees, and exotic plants. But, heavily forested area. according to an appraiser, the land is The McMullen family’s one-acre site, valuable if subdivided -- and a tough- located across from Dickinson Park, sell if left intact. became a botanical treasure as Floyd “It was lovely with the cows; there McMullen planted Stewartia, Parrotia, were dairy farms all around,” said and Rhododendron. Arborists tell the Kathleen remembering Crestwood in family some of their Katsura and Acer the 1940s. griseum trees are among the largest in Wes remembered an old homestead Portland. on Southwest 53 rd Avenue that kept Floyd stayed until he died in 1989; pigs. “They’d say ‘don’t fall into that sons Wesley and Eugene grew up. In pen now – those pigs will eat you,’” he recalled. He walked to Mrs. Schmidt’s six-cow dairy down the street, now part of Dick- inson Park. “Me and my brother’s chore was to go down to the dairy and buy quarts of milk. We’d walk back with those glass bottles and paper stop- pers.” Wes’s first memory of the house is his father at work on the terrace. Wes and Kathleen McMullen. (Post photo by Polina “My uncle came out and told him the Japanese had Olsen) By Polina Olsen The Southwest Portland Post *DUGHQ+RPH +LOOVGDOH +LOOVGDOH bombed Pearl Harbor,” he says. “I remember he dropped his hammer.” Floyd McMullen and his wife built their home, his uncle, an architect, designed it. “We made the house together,” Kathleen explains. She remembers her hus- band’s surprise when he arrived home and found her laying the living room hardwood fl oor. “The joke was, he said I’d done just fi ne. Then he found this big McMullen house. (Post photo by Leslie Baird) pail of bent nails.” keep action temporarily on hold. Although not a professional botanist, Meanwhile, the Crestwood Neighbor- Floyd was a recognized expert and hood Association voted to preserve the received the American Rock Garden property and the Southwest Neighbor- Marcel Le Piniac Award in 1989. “My hoods, Inc. board remains cautiously dad traveled in the circles of botanical optimistic. and horticultural pioneers in Oregon,” The land below my mother’s house said Wes. on the other side of 55th is all part of “When dad got people together at Dickinson Park,” Wes said. “It would the house for dinner, Latin would just be nice if this were preserved like the bounce off the walls.” According to Berry Botanic Garden or made part of Wes, his father discovered several na- the public parks system.” tive plants. “Metro asked him to help “We would all feel terrible never to design the fl ora for that new Northwest go there again,” said Kathleen McMul- part of the zoo with bears and eagles.” len, “… to see one house after another “If we went on a hiking trip, why built on it.” Her fondest memories are Floyd would always be looking for the neighborhood children who ran something that he hadn’t seen grow- through the carefully tended paths ing in Oregon,” said Kathleen. He read and the many people who visited, like books about the fl ora in various coun- Marcel the Frenchman from Normandy. tries and used all the proper terms. “They’re all gone now,” she said sadly The Alfred Street property is not about her old friends. “It’s so hard to actively for sale. The housing market fi gure out what to do.” downturn and preservation dilemma 6WHSKHQVRQ 5DOLHJKZRRG 0XOWQRPDK9LOODJH D L O S Wonderful one level home. Hardwood floors throughout. Light & bright living room with vaulted ceiling & fireplace. Master bedroom with double closet & bath. Large laundry room. $419,000 View of the coast range! 3 bedroom, 2 bath home. 1,652 square feet. Light & bright living room w/ woodstove & slider to large deck. 2 kitchens & Oak floors. View & private deck from master bed- room. Driveway & garage below. $399,500 0XOWQRPDK9LOODJH :LOVRQ3DUN +LOOVGDOH 9HUPRQW+LOOV Wonderful Vermont Hills home! Living room w/ hardwoods, fireplace & bay window. 4 BR, 2 BA. 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