Oregon Black Pioneers isn’t just a wealth of virtual Black history, we have physical collections too! And we are so lucky to have a partner in the Benton County Historical Society’s Philomath Museum, where our small collection of historically significant artifacts live.
Recently, two of our most cherished, but damaged, objects were beautifully restored: a barber chair from the Bogle barbershop at the Golden West Hotel, and a bench from the segregated balcony of Portland’s historic Fox Theatre.
Thomas Fuller of Northwest Objects Conservation excavated decades of dirt, grime, rust, and duct tape, and skillfully repaired or replaced broken and missing parts to bring these items back to life!
The Golden West Hotel was built near Portland’s Union Station in 1906. It was one of the few hotels offering rooms to Black patrons at the turn of the 20th century. Under the leadership of manager William Allen, the Golden West became the hub of Black community life in early Portland.
The hotel also housed many Black-owned businesses, including Waldo Bogle’s barber shop. Bogle was the son of Richard Bogle, a barber and pioneer settler of both Oregon and Washington. Waldo opened his shop from 1913 to 1931. Oregon Black Pioneers acquired the last-known original chair from Bogle’s barbershop in the 2010s.
The Fox Theatre (also known as the Heilig, Rialto, and Mayfair theatre) was built in 1910 at the corner of Broadway and SW Taylor Street. The Fox corporation purchased the theatre in 1954 and gave it a major renovation. With 1500 seats and the second largest screen in America at the time, the Fox was dubbed Portland’s “Million Dollar Theatre.”
During the age of segregation, Black moviegoers at the Fox had to enter through a separate entrance on Taylor Street and climb the stairs to the segregated gallery above. While White patrons below sat in comfortable seats, Black patrons sat on hard benches. The bench in Oregon Black Pioneers’ collection was gifted to the organization in 2021.
Objects offer us a physical connection to the past. We are proud to be the caretakers of these important historical artifacts, and are so thankful for the staff and volunteers of the Philomath Museum for their support in preserving these community treasures.