Y. W. C. A.
Known Name(s)
Y. W. C. A.
Address
N. E. Williams Ave. at Tillamook Portland, OR
Establishment Type(s)
Hotel, YWCA
Physical Status
Unknown
Detailed History
Social and benevolent clubs have been important to their local communities for well over a century. One of these clubs was the Young Women’s Christian Association, or Y.W.C.A., which was founded in 1855. Though it got its start in Europe, the Y.W.C.A. became popular in the United States; chapters of the club spread across the country, including to Oregon. Portland had a branch of the Y.W.C.A. by the early twentieth century, but the organization was segregated and there were no “colored” facilities. Portland’s African American community agitated for a Y.W.C.A. branch of their own, succeeding in 1920. The next year, a temporary structure was built on the property at William’s Avenue for club use.
The building that stands on the property today was built in 1926, replacing the temporary structure. The new Y.W.C.A. building featured an auditorium, a lounge, and a full kitchen on the ground floor; an additional half-story above; and a basement with lockers and showers. The Y.W.C.A.’s goal was to serve and uplift Black Portlanders. The club did this by planning social events and hosting classes on a number of topics ranging from art to athletics to occupational skills. And, although the club’s members were women, men were allowed to participate in these classes. Other clubs and organizations were given the opportunity to use space and even establish offices in the building as well. The most well-known of these is the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). The Y.W.C.A. first appeared in the Green Book in 1941.
After the United States entered World War Two, the Williams Avenue Y.W.C.A. loaned its building to the United Service Organization. Between 1942 and 1946, the building was used as a recreational center for Black servicemen. Additional barracks buildings were constructed on the property but are no longer extant. The same year the USO returned the facilities, the Y.W.C.A. integrated nationally. Many of the Y.W.C.A.’s programs moved to the previously white-only Central Association building in downtown Portland, which led to a decline in membership at the Williams Avenue branch. Even so, the branch continued to operate and remained a vital part of its community. In 1948, for example, the Y.W.C.A. provided housing and meals for over two hundred people whose homes were destroyed when the Columbia River flooded. Many of them resettled in the surrounding neighborhoods. Between 1956 and 1964, the building served as the headquarters of the Portland branch of the NAACP.
The Williams Avenue Y.W.C.A. closed its doors in 1959 due to a lack of funding. The building was purchased by the Billy Webb Elks Order #1050 for $15,000. The fraternal order also supported a women’s auxiliary group, Dahlia Temple #202. The next year, 1960, was the last year the Y.W.C.A. appeared in the Green Book. Some editions of the Green Book, in addition to listing places by state and city, organized entries by type of business; the Y.W.C.A. appeared under “hotels” whenever this happened. This suggests that travelers used the space primarily as a place to stay the night, though they may also have received meals or took advantage of the numerous other services provided by the Y.W.C.A. The Williams Avenue Y.W.C.A. did not appear in the Green Book between 1942 and 1946, when it was on loan to the USO and would not have been available for civilian use. The Billy Webb Elks still own and use the former Y.W.C.A. building today.
