Telegram Building

The Telegram Building is a Colonial Revival structure in Portland featuring balanced facades with classical design elements such as ornate entry doors and evenly spaced window rows on each level. The multistory design displays the careful architectural craftsmanship typical of early 20th-century commercial buildings.

The structure was built in the early 1900s when telegraph technology was essential for business and communication. Its listing on the National Register of Historic Places recognizes its role in Portland's architectural and commercial heritage.

The building marks an era when telegram offices served as nerve centers for information flow in American cities. Walking past it today gives a sense of how crucial these communication hubs were to daily urban life.

The building stands along Southwest 11th Avenue where its classical facades are readily visible from the street. You can study the architectural details easily from the public sidewalk and view the entire exterior without obstruction.

The structure displays a rare blend of practical business design and classical aesthetic elements that typically marked commercial architecture of its era. This combination makes it an interesting example of how communication infrastructure found expression in the architecture of its time.