WORTMAN HOUSE

On what’s now a dead-end street one block from downtown McMinnville’s famed Third Street, the Wortman House was built around 1905, when McMinnville was in its early growth years.

The Wortman family established the First National Bank of McMinnville in 1883.

In 1902 they purchased the first vehicle, the “Locomobile,” on the West Coast.

The Locomobile was the first vehicle to drive along the Oregon Coast.

The Wortman family was the first McMinnville family to own a motorcycle, car and airplane.

Their Locomobile was the first vehicle to deliver mail.

Ralph Wortman, author of “A Horseless Carriage Comes to Town” accepts the first copy of the book from Phil Bladine, publisher of the local newspaper, the News Register, who edited the book. The picture was taken in front of the house.

We believe the Locomobile was assembled in and housed in the basement of this house. It can be seen on display downtown in the Key Bank lobby at 3rd and Davis, the location of the original First National Bank of McMinnville.

Originally built as a shingled, one and one-half story bungalow, in later years the house was remodeled to add a bathroom and additional room on the south side. The original open sunporch was sealed in with a handsome arched window.