History
In 1910, Alexander M. Drake, owner of the Pilot Butte Development Company, subdivided the land that is now Drake Park Neighborhood Historic District into residential lots. The area was laid out south of a curving boulevard that followed the Deschutes River. Lots in the subdivision originally sold for $100 to $250, equivalent to $2500 to $6200 today. In 1921, 11 acres (45,000 m2) along the river, adjacent to the subdivision, were sold to the city of Bend to create Drake Park. That same year, State Street was the third street in Bend to be paved.
The spacious lots were considered highly desirable because they were close to Drake Park, which runs along the east side of the Deschutes River. In addition, many home sites had choice views of the Cascade Mountain peaks. The area was only a block away from Bend's downtown business district so the city hall, public library, and local Catholic, Methodist, and Episcopalian churches were within easy walking distance. The district was also within walking distance of the Brooks-Scanlon and Shevlin-Hixon lumber mills. As a result, the Drake Park district quickly became the preferred neighborhood for the city's most prominent businessmen.
Over the years, residents of the district included many prominent business and civic leaders who contributed to the development of the city of Bend and helped make it the commercial hub of central Oregon. The residents included owners and managers of the city's large lumber mills; owners of downtown businesses, hotels, and other enterprises; and professional men and women. In addition, many of the city's mayors, city council members, and Deschutes County commissioners lived in the neighborhood.
With the exception of three houses, all the homes in the historic district were built between 1910 and 1954. The homes in the Drake Park Neighborhood Historic District are unique, and the area's development parallels the growth of Bend as the city grew from 536 people in 1910 to over 11,000 in 1950. As a result, the Drake Park neighborhood was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
Read more about this topic: Drake Park Neighborhood Historic District
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