1872 New Market Theater Door Plate Escutcheon

The Architectural Heritage Center is again fortunate to receive a wonderful historic solid brass door plate escutcheon. This door plate is from the New Market Theater that resides on Block 33 on SW 1st Between Ankeny and Ash Streets. The escutcheon has a botanical motif with a bird depicted on the plate and a butterfly on the thumb latch. The door plate was used to cast the replacement door plates made during the 1983 restoration overseen by architect William J. Hawkins III. The door plates were manufactured by Dave Talbot at Architectural Reproductions in Portland.

The New Market Theater was the dream of Captain Alexander P. Ankeny. Ankeny owned the land and lived adjacent to the theater site.

Ankeny hired architects E.M. Burton & W.W. Piper to design the New Market Theater.

The New Market Theater was completed in 1872 and had a public market on the first floor where one could purchase any manner of meats, fruits and vegetables.

The third floor was occupied by the German Turn Verin Athletic & Social Society.

Many famous acts and actors graced the stage and General Grant who had been stationed at Fort Vancouver before the Civil War attended performances at the New Market Theater after the war.

The North Wing was demolished in 1950 and the cast iron colonnade was salvaged by The Friends of Cast Iron. The columns were returned and re-installed during the restoration of the theater just across the Max tracks from the Skidmore Fountain.

The New Market Theater today