Outside of red line, Black residents took root in Glenwood
ABOUT THE SERIES: This month, The Chronicle delves into Springfield’s history through the eyes of three enthusiasts as they prepare for the “Historic Atlas of Springfield, Oregon,” a 200-page collection detailing the city’s historical development. Last week, the focus was on the evolution of transportation into leisure activities like motorcycle hill-climbing races and gliding. This week, the paper examines the history of the Glenwood neighborhood, featuring excerpts from the atlas.
SPRINGFIELD — When one mentions Glenwood today, the words “entertainment,” “tourism,” and “diversity” don’t strictly come to mind.
But Glenwood, “the Glen,” or “West Springfield,” as it was once affectionally called, was once a bustling part of the area, connecting Eugene to Springfield and visitors along the western seaboard.
The popularity of automobiles led to an increase in Glenwood’s growth between 1910 and 1930. Franklin Boulevard, formerly called the Pacific Highway, was the primary road between Seattle and San Diego before the construction of Interstate 5.
By 1915, auto camping had become popular, so establishments like gas stations, tire shops, and auto repair shops popped up along the highway to capitalize on the influx of travelers.
In the 1920s, auto camps provided a safe spot for travelers to rest and relax near the Willamette River. Residents of Springfield and Eugene recognized Glenwood for its impressive restaurants and entertainment centers, including quick lunch spots, stores, restaurants, nightclubs, and dance halls.
The Holland was a popular club on the Pacific Highway from the late 1920s until 1949, when it became the Holland Market. In the 1930s, Willamette Park Ballroom was a popular club that once hosted American saxophonist Louis Jordan, known as “the King of the Jukebox.” Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five performed jazz, blues, pop, and dance music. The club operated until it was destroyed by flooding in 1955. By the 1940s,
Glenwood had three grocery stores, one of which was the second-highest-grossing market in the state. The business district also included a dry cleaner, a hardware store, and a furniture shop.
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Between 1900 and 1910, Springfield’s population grew to about six times its size—from 353 people to over 1,800. By 1915, the Glenwood School joined the Springfield School District, and within five years, it had 60 students and three teachers.
In 1930, it switched to Eugene District, and a new building with four classrooms replaced the original schoolhouse. That building became a center for community life in Glenwood, where plays, meetings, dances, and elections were often held.
Girls’ sports were also notably supported at the school, and in 1936, the Glenwood Wildcats had several victories in baseball, basketball, and track. While the student body grew to nearly 300 in the early
1950s, a decline in population growth began after the new interstate highway bypassed the community. In 1970, the Glenwood School was torn down, and the remaining children were sent to school in Eugene.
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Despite its popularity as a pit stop, Glenwood was a less-than-desirable place to live. The community itself was a place for low-income and marginalized communities.
The area’s tendency to flood before dams were constructed in the 1960s suppressed property values. Seasonal rains would overflow the low-lying banks of the Willamette River and rush into businesses and homes throughout the community. The flooding destroyed property and left behind layers of debris and mud.
Discriminatory laws in Eugene and Springfield and low property values from flooding squeezed Black and other historically marginalized communities into the arena, making Glenwood a surprisingly diverse community for one of its size. By the late 1940s, exclusionary housing laws made it nearly impossible for Black residents to live in Eugene and Springfield.
Due to these restrictions, Black families settled outside city limits, and a small community formed in Glenwood. Sam and Vera Lewis were among a handful of white people in the Eugene-Springfield area who rented to Black tenants in the 1950s. They owned several rental cabins in Glenwood on Brooklyn Street. The cabins were small, overpriced, and poorly made, though their tenants were said to have better living conditions than Black residents in other parts of the area.
Antioch Baptist Church was one of the area’s earliest predominantly-Black church congregations. Reverend D.H. Griggs held meetings at 1545 Brooklyn St. in the 1950s. In a 1952 Eugene Guard article, “Warned about the floods that often race through Glenwood, Griggs said, ‘We aren’t going to worry about that. If Ol’ Man River decides to move in, we’ll just move out – temporarily.’”
Lane County purchased the former Glenwood building in 1996. It reopened as a center for helping those experiencing homelessness, now known as Shankle Brooklyn Street Shelter. The I-5 bypass was built in 1953, routing traffic away from Glenwood. The loss of visitors impacted local businesses, and commercial activity declined on Franklin Blvd.
Glenwood has been under Springfield’s jurisdiction since 1999. Recently, the area has gained increasing attention as a potential site for revitalization efforts.
Do you know more about this topic or have other stories about Springfield to share? Contact the Springfield History Museum at springfieldmuseum@springfi eld-or.gov to help fill in the pieces of our local history.
