Allen and Lewis records
Scope and Contents
Records of Allen and Lewis, a mercantile firm in Portland, Oregon, that was founded by Cicero Hunt Lewis and Lucius H. Allen. The records date mainly from the late 19th and early 20th centuries and include financial ledgers, business correspondence, real estate and land records, contracts, and stock certificates. Also included are materials relating to the widening of West Burnside Street in downtown Portland in preparation for the construction of the Burnside Bridge, which involved property owned by the Pioneer Real Estate Company and the heirs of Cicero Hunt Lewis; and papers relating to George Good. Of note are the original partnership agreement between Allen and Lewis, signed in 1853, and a notebook, circa 1887-1888, detailing wholesale prices of grocery items.
Dates
- 1853-1931
Creator
- Allen and Lewis (Portland, Or.) (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Administrative history
The wholesale grocery firm of Allen and Lewis was a prominent fixture of the commercial scene in Portland, Oregon, from the 1850s through the early 20th century. Beginning as one of the town's only general stores in 1851, the firm was founded by Cicero Hunt Lewis (also known as Cicero Horatius Lewis) and Lucius H. Allen. Lewis (1826-1897) was a native of Cranbury, New Jersey, and after his arrival in Portland, he began a rapid rise to prominence. In 1857, he married Clementine Couch, daughter of John Heard Couch, who had platted the city's northern section. Lewis was also involved in a number of significant Oregon ventures in addition to his mercantile firm, including the Oregon Central Railroad, the Willamette Bridge Company, and efforts to establish telegraph service between Portland and San Francisco.
Long after Lewis's death, in 1924, property owned by his heirs at Front Avenue and West Burnside Street was subject to appropriation by the the City of Portland due to the construction of the approach to the new Burnside Bridge.
Extent
2 Cubic Feet (2 document cases, 1 flat box, 4 oversize folders, 4 custom boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Records of a mercantile firm in Portland, Oregon, that was founded by Cicero Hunt Lewis and Lucius H. Allen. The records date mainly from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and include financial ledgers, business correspondence, real estate and land records, contracts, stock certificates, and materials relating to the widening of West Burnside Street in downtown Portland, due to construction of the Burnside Bridge. The collection also includes papers relating to George Good.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in two series:
- Series 1: Account books and ledgers, 1858-1930
- Series 2: General financial and land records, 1853-1927
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Mason L. Bingham, December 13, 1951.
- Allen and Lewis (Portland, Or.) -- Records and correspondence
- Bridges -- Oregon -- Portland -- Design and construction
- Burnside Bridge (Portland, Or.)
- Businesses and Corporations
- City Planning
- Good, George
- Grocers -- Oregon -- Portland
- Merchants -- Oregon -- Portland
- Pioneer Real Estate Company (Portland, Or.)
- Portland
- Retail Trade
- Streets -- Oregon -- Portland
- West Burnside (Portland, Or.)
- blueprints (reprographic copies)
- business records
- ledgers (account books)
- maps (documents)
- property records
Creator
- Allen and Lewis (Portland, Or.) (Organization)
- Lewis, Cicero Hunt, 1826-1897 (Person)
- Allen, Lucius H. (Lucius Hamilton), 1817-1887 (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Allen and Lewis records
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Geoffrey B. Wexler
- Date
- 2007; revised 2024
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
Revision Statements
- 2024-08-09: Minor corrections and revisions to conform to current standard.
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org