Albany is a Willamette Valley city that doesn't get the attention received by Corvallis and Eugene, both university towns to the south, and Salem, the state capital to the north. But this Willamette River city has a long proud history, and it is home to over 51,000 residents. This 2.7 mile walk on flat terrain goes along the city's riverfront, through its old commercial downtown, and passes by several other historic structures and sights. At
this site you can download a more comprehensive guide to the historic sites of Albany.
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The walk begins at the corner of 4th Avenue and Lyon Street, which is the site of the monumental
Albany Armory building. Constructed in 1910, the building served as a National Guard armory until 1974. It now houses mainly government offices.
From the armory turn east, cross busy Lyon Street, and go forward two blocks on 4th Avenue to Montgomery Street. On the corner of Montgomery and 4th, to the left, is the Goltra house. This 1893 Italianate-style home was constructed for William Goltra, who originally walked the Oregon trail to the Willamette Valley in 1852.
Turn left on Montgomery Street and go one block to Third Avenue, where you will turn right. On the left corner of Montgomery and Third is St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church South, built in 1875. The "South" in the name speaks to the fact that it was built for a congregation with Confederate sympathies during the recently concluded Civil War. Albany was apparently a town closely divided by partisan sympathies in the 19th century, with the Democrat-Southern settlers moving to this area and the Republican-Northern settlers moving to another area to the west of here.
After one block on Third turn right onto Railroad Avenue. To your left is the original Albany High school, built in 1909. It is now home to a large non-denominational church and Christian school.
After one block on Railroad turn left onto Fourth Avenue. On the right, across from the old high school, is this 1895 home built in the
Eastlake architectural style, a subset of the more encompassing Queen Anne style popular at the time.
After one block on Fourth, turn right onto Jackson Avenue. At the southwest corner of 5th and Jackson is the house built by Abram Hackleman, son of Abner Hackleman, the Iowa farmer who made a donation land claim for what became Albany in 1845 . This section of Albany is known as the Hackleman District. Turn left onto Fifth Avenue and proceed two blocks. On the right, pictured here, is the Parker House, a Gothic revival style home built in 1875. Moses Parker came from Ohio to Albany in 1852.
Right beyond the Parker House you will cross the Thurston Canal. Now a pathetic little ditch after it was filled in the 1970's, this used to be a full-fledged waterway, powering turbines in mills and factories along its path between the larger Santiam-Albany canal to the south and the Willamette River to the north. It was constructed by Chinese laborers and finished in 1873. More recent attempts to revive the canal as a recreational resource have apparently
come to nought.
The Thurston Canal lies in the right of way of Thurston Street, which is a "paper" street. Turn left and walk along the canal for one block to Fourth Avenue, then turn right. After one block on Fourth you will cross the Willamette & Pacific rail line, formerly a Southern Pacific branch line connecting the main line in Albany with Corvallis to the southwest. This line is a remnant of a grand scheme to build a
transcontinental railroad with its western terminal on Yaquina Bay near Newport. Its promoter was one
T. Edenton Hogg, a former Confederate navy man who sounds like a classic 19th century railroad promoter - half visionary and half swindler.
Continue another block on Fourth Avenue to Madison Street. On the left is Madison School, originally constructed in the 1890's. It now serves as the headquarters of the Linn-Benton-Lincoln Educational School District, which provides special education needs and other support services to public schools in Albany, Corvallis, and smaller nearby communities.
Continue on Fourth Avenue another two blocks to Main Street. Straight ahead is the Cumberland Presbyterian Church building. This Queen-Anne Style church was built in 1892. This neglected-looking building has been vacant for many years, and is currently owned by the City of Albany. It's ultimate fate
remains uncertain.
Turn left on Main Street and proceed north all the way to the Willamette River. On the way you will go around a new roundabout at Third and Main. Next will be another set of railroad tracks, these ones belonging to the Burlington Santa Fe railway but originally built as the
Oregon Electric Railway between Portland and Eugene. Eventually you will reach this entrance to the Dave Clark Riverfront Trail. Turn left and begin your walk along the Willamette River.
The trail provides, on your right, the scenery of the river. The time of commercial river traffic, which fueled Albany's initial growth, has long receded into history. On your left is a mixture of park land and new development activity. After a while you will pass under this railroad bridge, built in 1921. It replaced the 1887 bridge constructed as part of the ill-fated Oregon Pacific railway scheme discussed earlier along this walk.
Continuing along the waterfront, this attractive building on your left is an example of the new development that is occurring along Albany's waterfront. It is the
Wheelhouse Center, with an event venue and several floors of office space above.
Continuing along the waterfront, next you will cross under the two highway bridges, which connect the main section of Albany with a smaller part of the city west of the river, and then on to Corvallis. The newer one was constructed in 1973, and the older one was built in 1925. Its architect was noted Oregon bridge designer
Conde McCullough, whose more famous designs are found on Highway 101 along the Oregon coast.
Continue along the waterfront trail. Soon you will come to this public boat launch. While the commercial traffic that plied the Willamette in the 19th century is no more, pleasure craft still use the waterway.
Follow the riverfront trail as it turns to the left. There is a nice area for sitting and picnicking by the riverbank. You are now walking at the mouth of the Calapooia River, a major tributary of the Willamette. It runs 72 miles from the Cascades and drains 365 square miles. Fish habitat along the Calapooia has recently been improved with the removal of several small dams upstream constructed in the 19th century in association with lumber milling activities.
The riverfront trail ends at First Avenue and Calapooia Street. Turn left onto First Avenue and head into Albany's historic downtown. First Avenue is lined with historic structures built in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The downtown has been restored by city and property owner revitalization efforts.
After three blocks on First Avenue the historic Globe Theater is located on the left, at the corner of First and Broadalbin. The 1914 building is now occupied by the
Fusion Faith Center, which uses the theater and the rest of the building for its religious activities.
Along this part of First Avenue to the right is the Flinn Block. This building has been here since 1887, and is a great example of the Second Empire architectural style of the period. The "Second Empire" itself refers to the regime of Napoleon III, who ruled France as its Emperor in the style of more notable ancestor from 1851 to 1870, until ignobly defeated by the Germans and forced to abdicate.
Continue on First Avenue another block to Lyon Street, where you will turn right. On the corner of Second and Lyon is the
Albany Regional Museum. This ornate Italianate-style building was originally constructed in 1887 and located a block away on First Avenue. It was moved to this site in 1912. Continue two more blocks on Lyon Street to Fourth Avenue, where you will reach the Armory Building and the starting point of the walk.
