This is probably the portion, with some remodeling, that we now know as the "old" gym of the Odell High School. If this is the gym then at some time or other it was lifted up and dug out, because it has a full basement under it. When I went to junior high there they had two class rooms and the cafeteria in the basement part of that. It would become what was known as Mid Valley Junior High for many years, where the valley children all went to school. It is now a grade school with a lot of additions to it.

Charlott on 11th February 2020 @ 7:16am

This seems like a surprisingly modern design for 1916. Civic buildings were mostly classically inspired architecture. I'll bet this was controversial.

ArthurB on 11th February 2020 @ 9:28am

My first thought was did they build it for the snow weights they used to have?

nels on 11th February 2020 @ 9:35am

I would bet the Odell Garden Club had a hand in that flower bed.

OrMtnMaid on 11th February 2020 @ 10:06am

Arthur, I don't l know much about architecture, but there seems to be a unique style to homes built by the many east coast people who came here. And this huge building sort of fits in with that style. Can you enlighten me if this is in fact an architectural style as such? Or or this just a figment of my imagination?

nels on 11th February 2020 @ 10:41am

Hopefully some architects can weigh in. I also noted the dark wooden siding and high sloped roofs look very "northwestern" but I don't know what the style is called. Maybe "Northwestern vernacular?" Let's hear from the experts.

ArthurB on 11th February 2020 @ 6:22pm

I don't think there was an Odell Garden Club then. That room area seems like to me a lot of wasted space, not to mention a lot of money that probably could have been used elsewhere dumped into that roof/attic area.

Gladys on 12th February 2020 @ 7:13am

The School was designed by Ellis Lawrence, one of Portland’s greatest and most prolific architects of the early 20th century . He owned an apple ranch in Odell from 1907 to 1924. The School is a Arts & Crafts Movement and Shingle Style combo which he favored as a native of MA. However, his designs were very eclectic. Functionality and proper use of the landscape and site were more important than adhering closely to specific design tenets. He also designed in Classical, Mediterranean, & Art Deco styles. I strongly suspect he designed the Art Deco Powerdale Powerhouse, but I haven’t been able to prove it.

Ellen on 6th March 2020 @ 3:54pm

I meant the Power Station in Hood River. An inventory of Lawrence's designs attributes St. Mark's Episcopal Church in HR to him but Percy Bentley is often named as the architect. He definitely designed St. Paul's Episcopalian Parish House & Rectory in The Dalles. You can find more photos of the High School in old Year Books. That building, on Davis Road, was razed, although I don't know the date.

Ellen on 6th March 2020 @ 4:17pm