Sparta Building - Medford, Oregon
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member ddtfamily
N 42° 19.653 W 122° 52.231
10T E 510668 N 4686152
American Renaissance style two-story commercial structure, built in 1911.
Waymark Code: WMFZ39
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 12/20/2012
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member silverquill
Views: 5

The Sparta building is a two-story concrete and brick structure located at the intersection of Main Street and Riverside Avenue in Medford's downtown historic business district. Designed by noted Medford architect Frank C. Clark, the building was completed in 1911. The building features a pair of large Ionic columns at the entrance.

The building first housed an automotive dealership owned by Charles E. Gates, who was elected mayor of Medford in 1917, and later an auto supply store. Radio station KMED, one of the first licensed stations in southern Oregon, occupied several second story office spaces from 1926 into the 1940s. During that period, the roof supported two 85-foot transmitter antennas. In the 1940s and 50s, the building provided office space for a number of small retailers, engineers, and construction firms. Today, "For Lease" signs hang in the windows.

Street address:
12 North Riverside Avenue
Medford, OR USA
97501


County / Borough / Parish: Jacksonville

Year listed: 1992

Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event

Periods of significance: 1925-1949, 1900-1924

Historic function: Commerce/Trade, Industry/Processing/Extraction

Current function: Commerce/Trade

Privately owned?: yes

Primary Web Site: [Web Link]

Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]

Season start / Season finish: Not listed

Hours of operation: Not listed

Secondary Website 2: Not listed

National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.
Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
Date Logged Log User Rating  
NW_history_buff visited Sparta Building - Medford, Oregon 07/11/2018 NW_history_buff visited it
Capt. Sandor visited Sparta Building - Medford, Oregon 07/20/2013 Capt. Sandor visited it

View all visits/logs