We may be busy celebrating the 100th commemoration of Black History Month with events all over the state, but as always, The Quest Continues! Thanks for joining me, your host and fellow Pionerd, Mariah, for the first installment in 2026. Keep reading for a recap of our most recent episode, updates connected to earlier investigations, and a preview of what’s to come!
Black History Quest: The Enterprise Investment Company’s Impact
In our research files, we had a scanned copy of The Colored American from 1903, featuring an article about The Enterprise Investment Company. We asked Val Ballestrem, public historian, to dig deeper into this story.
Val was able to uncover that the group operated primarily from 1901 to 1909, with most activity around the same time they were written about: 1903 to 1905. This investment group was directly connected to Portland’s Enterprise Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. These two organizations played a role in building community and likely encouraged folks to move to the east side of the river for opportunities unavailable elsewhere in the city.
The building mentioned in the source article, built on Larrabee St., stood for decades, despite waves of displacement from urban renewal policies in the surrounding area. Though the building was spared during the initial development in that area, it was eventually demolished in the 1960s. However, there are other buildings and houses associated with this company that are still standing today!
Though Val’s episode is over, the quest never ends. We asked Val what his next steps for this research might be:
I think if I were to continue my research, I’d want to dig more deeply into the work of Enterprise Investment Co. to try to figure out if they indeed built houses in northeast Portland’s Highland Park, or if they built that house on SE Ankeny that was purchased by Clara Logan in 1909, or anywhere else they may have built houses or other buildings. The company seems to have been a relatively short-lived endeavor, but if there are properties still around that can be associated with Enterprise Investment, it would be great to be able to raise awareness of that, because it remains otherwise unknown. At the same time, there were also a number of people involved in the company whose names were not familiar to me. I think it would be helpful to research those folks who were the original board of directors and/or investors in the Enterprise Investment Company to bring light to their life stories in some way.
Connecting the Dots
We were delighted to learn that the Enterprise Investment Company was connected to the Enterprise Lodge of Masons. This fraternal organization is one of many featured in our Hidden Landmarks of Albina exhibit. In the heart of Albina, next to what is today the Wonder Ballroom, you can find the building that was home to this masonic lodge from the 1940s through 1995.
Quest Content Shared IRL
OBP’s executive director, Zachary Stocks, has been a history investigator a couple of times (in addition to being the original host of the show!). If you missed his first episode as an investigator and/or want to see him present his research about The Shoreys in Hammond, check out this event at the Warrenton Community Library February 25th, at 5 pm. It’s great to see the stories shared in Black History Quest introduced to new audiences around the state!
Up Next
For our second episode of season four, in March, we’re partnering with LeeAnn O’Neill, principal for Allyship in Action. LeeAnn will share what she’s uncovered about Cleo Kelly, a Black woman with a connection to prohibition here in Oregon.
Stream LeeAnn’s episode live on Wednesday, March 25th at 7:00 PM on Facebook or YouTube to learn more!
Join us!
If you have any insights to share about the stories featured on BHQ, we would love to hear from you! Please don’t hesitate to reach out and become part of the process.
Want to be a future history investigator? Send an email to hello@oregonblackpioneers.org!
Want to take a crack at this research and sign on as a future history investigator? Send an email to hello@oregonblackpioneers.org!
Can’t get enough? Check out our previous episodes of Black History Quest on YouTube.
Signing off,
