Carlton Historical Tour

The Carlton Grain Elevator has been a prominent, visual landmark for the community for many decades. It is associated with the economic importance of agriculture to the growth and vitality of Carlton. The current elevator complex is the res... Read more

Built: 1915   In early 1914, a Southern Pacific Railroad-Oregon Agricultural College demonstration train stopped in Carlton. Inspired to increase agricultural cooperation, local dairymen organized a stock company to raise funds for a cream... Read more

Built: 1904 Burned: 1995   On this now vacant lot once stood a large two-story brick building. It was built in 1904 as W.A. Howe's General Merchandise store. In this building was Carlton's first bank, a private operation run by W.A. Howe. ... Read more

Multiple views looking west in the early 1900s. The bank is on the right. The brick building on the left and warehouse on the right are no longer standing. The last picture shows the other direction in the 1930s

Built 1923   The town of Carlton is located on the Oregon & California Railroad—later Southern Pacific Railroad—that was constructed in the early 1870s between Portland and St. Joseph. Carlton had a small depot building, constructe... Read more

Built: 1907 Converted to apartments: 1966   This two-story building (and basement) was built of brick in 1907 on the same site where a previous schoolhouse burned. Originally the first floor had four large classrooms for the eight elementa... Read more

Built 1910   The Carlton State & Savings Bank, was built in 1910 by W.A. Howe. Prior to this, Howe had offered private banking in his General. Howe served as president of the Carlton State and Savings Bank until the 1920s, but the bank... Read more

Completed: 1914   Construction on the Brooks Hotel began in 1912. The building was finished in 1914. On opening night, February 21,1914, a large crowd gathered and an orchestra signaled the opening of the new accommodations. The building h... Read more

Built: 1945 (In 1914 building) Closed: 1960s   The Carlton Theater was opened in 1945 after a fire in the former Brooks Hotel gutted the upstairs apartments. Operated by Clifford and Hazel Briggs, it cost 25 to 50 cents to see a movie and ... Read more

An 1916 view of a street paving team at the corner of Main Street and S Park Street 1899: Wooden sidewalks were built in the commercial district along Main Street. A road tax was later instituted. 1901: Crushed rock was added to the previou... Read more

Multiple views of the buildings in downtown Carlton in the late 1800s and very early 1900s

Carlton has seen many disastrous fires over the years. Wooden buildings, and often wooden sidewalks were highly flammable. Combined with heating and cooking fires, the risk of fire was high.   Some of the major fires in Carlton:   1907: T... Read more

First built in 1935, the vision for a community pool was initiated by the Carlton Community Foundation and supported by the Mayor and City Council. The Carlton residents voted overwhelming in favor of a bond to build the pool in 1935. The p... Read more

Ladd Park, formerly known as City Park or Upper Park, was purchased from the Hoffman family in 1921. Samuel Lancaster, architect of the Columbia River Highway was hired as landscape architect. The Brooks Nursery donated plants, which were p... Read more

Built: 1943 (or late 1940s?) The exact origins of the Carlton Fire Department are difficult to discern, as its early records were burned in the 1942 fire that destroyed the combination City Hall-Fire Department. Organized about 1905, the Ca... Read more

Built sometime after 1913, this building has served multiple purposes. At one time it was a Safeway grocery store. Later, it became the site of several bars. From the late 1950s through In the 1970s, Junys Inn operated here. By the late 199... Read more

Built: 1905 Burned: 1907   W.A.Howe, of Carlton and W.M. Ladd of Portland, built the Hotel Carlton in 1905 for $40,000. This large, well-appointed hotel was built to accommodate increased demand for lodging brought on by expected economic ... Read more

Built: 1916   George Carl, built this brick structure in 1916, replacing a wooden building. The previous structure housed the first auto repair shop in Carlton, which Carl founded about 1915. He sold the garage to Banrey Burns in 1920. Bar... Read more

Built: About 1910   This unassuming warehouse is one of the last remnants of the Carlton and Coast Railroad. The C&C was a logging railroad, hauling logs from the forests in the Coast Range to the mills on Carlton Lake. Completed in 19... Read more

Built: 1940   After the Co-Op Creamery was moved to McMinnville, Carlton still felt the need for a creamery. A Chamber of Commerce committee was formed. They recruited Bill and Opal McGhie of Sheridan to operate the creamery. The building ... Read more

Built: 1915   The Carlton Baptist Church was established in May 1870. The Baptists joined with the Christan Church to purchase the current property in 1877. The denominations split costs and usage of the building until 1898. The present st... Read more

Built: About 1902   First church was built in 1855, on land donated by Peter Smith. Smith is buried in a grave beside the church. The building was abandoned for a few years, then became a Finnish Lutheran Church in 1927. In 1949, it became... Read more

The Wennerberg Park was acquired by the City of Carlton in two pieces. The first piece was given in July 1912 by John Wennerberg. The second property was sold to the city by Wennerberg in July 1915.   The park was popular for picnics and b... Read more

Known as one of the earliest bridges transversing the North Yamhill River, Smith Bridge became an important crossing point to settlers west of the future community of Carlton. Constructed by Peter Smith on his donation land claim, it access... Read more

Note: The lake is on private property. It is visible from Meadowlake Rd and Westside Rd. The former dam site can be viewed from the river access point at Wennerberg Park.   In an effort to jumpstart the lumber industry in Carlton, W. A. Ho... Read more

Built: Ca. 1895   Built by John Wennerberg c. 1895, the Wennerberg Barn was first used a part of his commercial farm. The three-aisled, end-opening barn’s design, as well as the remnant notches in the crossbeams and posts of the ground-l... Read more

Built: 1911 Note: This house is on private property. Do not disturb.  The Westerlook Farm, at 9771 Hwy 47 in Carlton, has a classic American picket fence at the entrance. The Colonial Revival-style estate was designed by renowned architect... Read more