The Belle Ainsworth Jenkins Estate, located near Beaverton, Oregon, United States, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built starting in 1912,[clarification needed] the main house on the property was intended as a summer home. The entire 68-acre (28 ha) estate is owned by the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District (THPRD). The estate has eight buildings, including the main home and a farmhouse built in 1880.
Belle Ainsworth Jenkins Estate | |
 The main house of the estate in 2011. | |
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 Interactive map showing Belle Ainsworth Jenkins Estate | |
| Location | 8005 SW Grabhorn Road, Beaverton, Oregon[2] |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 45°27′37″N 122°53′29″W / 45.46028°N 122.89139°W |
| Area | 14.197 acres (5.745 ha)[3] |
| Built | 1880[1] |
| Architect | Root & Hoose[3] |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002327[1] |
| Added to NRHP | November 28, 1978[1] |
History
editRalph and Belle Jenkins purchased the property for $7,000 in 1912 for what was intended to be their summer home.[4] Belle was the daughter of John C. Ainsworth, a founder of the Oregon Steam Navigation Company, while Ralph had been a teacher.[4] The Jenkins began construction on a large estate that year as an escape from the city.[2] The English hunting lodge-style main home took three years to complete, and was in addition to the original farmhouse on the property.[4] Other facilities on the estate included fine equestrian facilities, as well as gardens, a greenhouse, an ornamental pool, a tea house, a carriage house, and a water tower.[2]
Ralph Jenkins died in the 1950s; Belle died in 1963.[4] Burt Muir inherited the property, but sold it to developers for what was planned to be a retirement community.[2] Once the project failed due to a lack of water and sewer access, the developers put the estate up for sale.[2][4] The Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District purchased the Jenkins estate in 1976 for $525,000.[5] In 1978, the estate was added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Belle Ainsworth Jenkins Estate.[2][4]
The Tualatin Valley Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society started working with THPRD in 1982 to restore the rhododendron garden on the property.[6] The park district restored the property in 1989 at a cost of $178,000.[5] Camp Rivendale, a camp for adults and children with disabilities, was created in the 1980s.[4] Due to operating losses at the property, THPRD decided to outsource management of the events at the estate in 2013;[7]
Details
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Jenkins Estate covers 68 acres (28 ha) and contains 28 acres (11 ha) of gardens.[4][6] The structures on the property are the main house, stable, carriage house, greenhouse, tea house, water tower, pump house, and the farmhouse.[2] The 14,550-square-foot (1,352 m2) main house is L-shaped with a full basement.[2][4] THPRD rents out the buildings for business meetings, weddings, and other events.[5][7] The Herb Garden was created in 1985 with help from the Oregon School of the Blind and contains a Braille Garden planted with fragrant herbs.[8]
See also
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References
edit- ^ a b c Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (June 6, 2011), Oregon National Register List (PDF), retrieved April 22, 2012
- ^ a b c d e f g h Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District. "Historic Properties". Archived from the original on 24 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-24.
- ^ a b Allen, Frank C. (May 1978), National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form: Jenkins, Belle Ainsworth, Estate (PDF), retrieved 22 April 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Apalategui, Eric (August 23, 2012). "Aloha's Jenkins Estate celebrates a century of serenity". The Oregonian. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
- ^ a b c Friedman, Nicole (August 5, 2013). "Portland's Elephants Delicatessen managing event rentals, catering at Jenkins Estate". The Oregonian. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
- ^ a b Pokorny, Kym (May 20, 2013). "Jenkins Estate's rhododendron garden recaptures its former glory". The Oregonian. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
- ^ a b Friedman, Nicole (February 14, 2013). "Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District to transfer Jenkins Estate management". The Oregonian. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
- ^ Olson, Donald (2014). The Pacific Northwest Garden Tour. Timber Press, Inc. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-60469-451-2.
External links
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