Ruth Powell and Jane Tweeddale
talk about the early development of Bridlemile, including the beginnings of the Brookford and Wilcox developments in this interview done by Ginger Danzer and Bev Shaw on January 13, 2003 (edited for web site publication February 2005).
Ruth Powell & Jane Tweeddale. Photo by Ginger Danzer
Mrs. Ruth Powell was a land owner, resident and developer of land. Jane Tweeddale owns a home on Jerald Way.
In 2001 Mrs. Powell spoke at the Bridlemile Neighborhood Association Meeting at the request of Barbara Paetzhold, the neighborhood historian. In an effort to retrieve that information after Barbara Paetzhold's death, Bev Shaw contacted Jane Tweeddale and arranged this visit at the Tweeddale home. Both Mrs. Powell and Jane Tweeddale enjoyed the neighborhood and have many wonderful memories of their first years in the area.
Mrs. Powell explained that in 1947 her husband, Jack, was looking for property in Portland with enough acreage to build a home and garden. Dr. Powell, a native of Kansas, was a dentist, whose office was on SE 37th and Hawthorne. Ruth Morrison, a native Portlander, was his patient, and in 1939, his wife. The Powells looked and looked for property. A friend told Dr. Powell about some land that was for sale by the Art Museum and that he was sure that Jack would like. Jack was busy and told Ruth to go with the friend to look at it. She immediately loved the land, open with nice stands of trees and a wonderful western vista to the valley. She encouraged her husband to look at the land, and it was soon theirs. They initially purchased about 35 acres and continued to buy contiguous parcels of land. Most of the property was in Multnomah County at the time except for a pie shaped piece which was in the city of Portland and on which the Belluschi house was built.
The Powells planned to develop the property and needed a name for it. One night, before they moved to the area, Ruth Powell was brushing her teeth and thinking about the land and hoping to raise horses on it. She thought, "Bridlemile, that is it." The street, Jerald Way is named for the Powell's son.
Mrs. Powell talked about a sawmill in the area of their Bridlemile property and also spoke fondly of the stand of trees on the land.
The Powell's first home, built by someone in the Belluschi firm, was in the city part of the property because during the war they could not build in the county. It was at 3500 SW Bridlemile Lane on the corner of Jerald Way.
The Powells lived in this house for five years. Then they built a second home at 3600 SW Bridlemile Lane and lived there for three years. Their mailboxes were on Dosch Road, which is also where children caught the school bus. Mrs. Powell spoke of a well that was at a corner of the property that they used to gravity feed water to their large Victory Garden. They sold potatoes and cabbage to Corno's Vegetable Market.
During the war years there were significant barriers to building. Mrs. Powell remembers that Robert Strahorn came to their door one day and asked if he could build homes on their lots. The Powells saw his work and knew that he built good homes. They became associated with Robert Strahorn. The Powells, and Strahorn combined their names to form a company named Strell and arranged to buy property the current Brookford property south of Hamilton from Dr. Ray. The was to build 110 houses, but Strahorn built 100 houses and everything was fine. The First National Bank wanted their money and Powells didn't have it. The Bridlemile property was mortgaged to the bank. Strahorn and his lawyer, a Mr. Simmons evidently had bought the Wilcox property instead of paying the bank or notifying the Powells.
Some of the first families to buy property from the Powells were: Ruth and Bill Hagenstein, Phyllis and Howard Fishell, Natalie and Jerry Weigel, Jean and Harry Ragsdale, and Alan and Jane Tweeddale.
In the Archives there is an undated copy of a brochure announcing the development of Bridlemile. The Architectural Design Committee is: Dr. John H. Powell, Lyle Nosler, realtor and John J. Whelan, Architect. Dr. John and Sylvia Brenwood lived at the corner of Dosch and Bridlemile Lane. He was a pediatrician.
Tom and Veneta Riley built their house, and Tom wrote articles about his efforts and progress for Sunset Magazine. He worked for Sunset writing "how to do it" articles. He was an expert at building things, including small items for the house.
As a result of the problems with Strahorn the Powell's became owners of the Wilcox Estate. Strahorn had purchased it from the Holy Cross Fathers in 1955 when they closed Columbia Prep. Mrs. Powell chuckled as she said it seemed funny to turn the carriage house into a home after it had been a Catholic Chapel during the Prep years. She remembered the bell in the tower of the carriage house. The Powells built homes in Wilcox and lived in a home next door to the carriage house. She said those were hard years to stay afloat managing the Wilcox development. She was astounded by the expense of putting in curbs. She had no idea that they went so deep and used so much cement. During this time Mrs. Powell became a real estate agent and was actively involved in the development of Wilcox.
Jane and Allen Tweeddale bought a lot from the Powell's in 1949 and built a beautiful home on SW Jerald Way. Jane shared her pictures of the area at the time their home was being built. Some of them are in the BNA History files. Jane tells how the line between the city and the county went right through their home. For some time they could be befuddled by rules of two jurisdictions.
Both women looked at photographs of the late 40's and early 50's and reminisced. They had memorable parties in the neighborhood.
Jane Tweeddale continues to live on Jerald way. Mrs. Ruth Powell currently lives in the Wilcox development in Bridlemile.
June 2007 Congratulations to Ruth Morrison Powell on her 100th birthday! The Bridlemile Neighborhood sends best wishes and thanks to Ruth on this very special occasion. Ruth named our area Bridlemile in 1947. Thank you Ruth.