Dr. John D. Marshall commissioned construction on the building in 1952
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A building that has an extensive history of championing Black businesses in North Portland has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
According to a spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, the former Dr. John D. Marshall Building was officially added to the list in June, courtesy of a nomination from City of Portland officials and the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office.
The city says Dr. Marshall, the building’s namesake, was one of a few Black doctors providing medical care in the Portland area. By 1952, the doctor had commissioned construction on his own clinic located on 2337 N Williams Ave.
“Over the next several years, Dr. Marshall worked from the building’s main suite and leased smaller offices to other Black professionals including dentist Dr. Samuel J. Brown, pharmacist Dr. Richard Neal, and lawyer Aaron Brown,” officials said.
Later throughout the 1970s, Portland’s Black Panther Party opened their own medical and dental clinic in the building. Black-owned publication The Skanner then took over the space for more than 20 years.
What was once known as the Dr. John D. Marshall Building is now the Terry Family Funeral Home, which hosted a ceremony in honor of the NRHP listing.
At the ceremony held on Monday, July 10, Rep. Blumenauer presented a plaque to the building’s current owners Bernie and Bobbie Foster — who launched The Skanner back in 1975.
Marshall’s grandson and Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability director were among the event’s other attendees.
Through BPS and its African American Historic Sites Initiative, the city is working to “document and protect landmarks associated with the Black experience in Portland.”
Other sites that have been nominated for or listed in the NRHP include the Golden West Hotel, Beatrice Morrow Cannady House and the Mallory Avenue Christian Church.