Historic Wortman House
On what’s now a dead-end street one block from downtown McMinnville’s famed Third Street and adjacent to the railroad, the Wortman House was built around 1905, when McMinnville was in its early growth years.
From the archives and this online publication developed by Linfield College, we learn:
The Wortman family established the First National Bank of McMinnville in 1883.
Land for Wortman Park at 2051 NE Lafayette Avenue, was donated by the Wortman Family.
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!
We believe the Locomobile was originally housed in the basement of the house at 726 Fourth Street. It can be seen on display in the Yamhill Valley Heritage Center.
History of the house
This outstanding example of craftsmanship and Arts and Crafts style can be your vacation destination in McMinnville, Oregon. Get a glimpse of the history of this home and the important family who built it.
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 upstairs on the south side. The original open sunporch was also sealed in with a handsome arched window.
The small corner sink in the stairwell landing upstairs indicates the upstairs rooms all shared the downstairs bathroom (before the remodel) and the sink was placed for convenience.
It’s possible the home was a “kit house” similar to these offered during that time. It resembles other homes in McMinnville in style and details, which may also have been kit homes. However, the interior details, in particular the beautiful woodwork and coved ceiling, were likely custom additions.
In 1903 Ralph Wortman brought the very first car to the county, his 1901 Stanley Stanhope Model 1 Locomobile. Everyone else was still living in McMinnville's Old West, driving horse and buggies downtown on a dirt street. But it was a new century, and Ralph would lead the way. After he bought it he left the car in Portland because the unpaved muddy road to town was impassable during the winter. But the kid finally got it here that spring, and within about a month Wortman and his car were starting to stir controversy. Anyone that knew Ralph couldn't have been surprised
(left) 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 at 726 Fourth Street.
(above) 1960, Governor Grant Sawyer of Nevada, the sixth governor to ride in Ralph Wortman’s 1901 steam-driven Locomobile in downtown McMinnville
(right) Jake Wortman party, 1930s or 40s, in the front room of 726 NE 4th Street
Creative Company
New ownership for 726 NE Fourth
In 2000, Trenton and Jennifer Morrow purchased the house and the cottage next door from John Surrett and his wife, Carol, who had owned both since 1981. Between 1981 and 1992, John served as chef of La Maison Surrette, a French restaurant the couple ran on weekends in the same old home that now houses Bistro Maison.
John Surrett remodeled 726 Fourth and rented it as office space during his ownership. When Jennifer was looking for office space for Creative Company closer to her home in Sheridan, McMinnville was an obvious choice. By buying the two properties at 726 NE Fourth and 730 NE Fourth, Creative Company had a new home in McMinnville.
The branding of McMinnville
Soon after the move, Creative Company was branding companies and organizations in McMinnville, in addition to working with clients in Salem and the Northwest. Many were shown in the logo displays in the entry and dining room.
Staff of Creative Company also discovered the ambiance of McMinnville and the many places close by for a working or casual lunch. Jennifer got involved and served on marketing committees for the Chamber and the McMinnville Downtown Association, charged with “Caring for Oregon’s Favorite Main Street.”
(Above) Jennifer and her daughter in 2001 when Creative Company moved into 726 NE Fourth. (Below) The logo and coasters crreated for the Taste Mac campaign.
Downsizing and reinventing
The Taste Mac campaign (left) was just a first step in the rapid growth of tourism to McMinnville.
With a downsized Creative Company, in 2016 Jennifer chose to move the office to the cottage next door (right) and convert 726 NE Fourth to a vacation rental. Built sometime in the ‘40s, the tiny, 2-bedroom cottage, with fresh paint and yard renovation to make it more appealing, became a design studio/simple office for 3 to 4 people.
During COVID, when Jennifer’s daughter wanted to move back to Oregon with her partner, the plan evolved to use the cottage as her new home. Eventually, due to poor foundation and after waiting for months for permits, a new cottage was built at 730 NE Fourth with the same 750 square foot footprint, but new constrution in a modern layout and design.
History? Wine? Food? Visit!
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