Item 4 - PH/Ord. on Kaufman Hse - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

By designating the Kaufman Senior Center as a City of Eugene Historic Landmark the histOric property will be well documented through research and the photographic record. Designation .. will help to ensure the preservation of the Kaufman Senior Center. (2): Designation.is based on a determination of historic significance aCcording to one or more of the following: (a).Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad £atterns of history. The Kaufrnan Senior Center is associated with the Progressive Era.(1884-1913) in Eugene, as described in the Eugene Area Historic Context Statement. This period saw a phenomenal boom in residential construction between 1909 and 1912. Around this time houses were being moved away from Willamette Street to make way for businesses as they expanded along Olive, Oak, Pearl and Charnelton. Cra~man and Bungalow style residential, construction was very popular in Eugene at this time (from about 1900 to 1930). The Kaufman Senior Center is a representative example of the residential building boom of the Progressive Era. In 1900 Eugene's population was 3,236 and by 1910 the population rose to 9;009, which is indicative of the need for homing, in Eugene during this period. Population ·leveled out in the next decade with 10,593 people residing in' the City by 1920. (b) Is associated with the lives of £ersons significant to. our past. · The Kaufrnan Senior Center Was built in 1908 for E.K. Wheeler who was a businessman associated with the U.S. National Bank and a secretary of the Odd Fellows Lodge. 'Mr. Wheeler owned the property until his death in 1937. The lot is' part of the Amended Plat of James Huddleston's Addition to the City of Eugene. Gertrude (Trude) and Ludwig Kaufman purchased the Wheeler House in 1941. The Kaufinans had fled fi:om Nazi Germany in 1936, and arrived in Eugene in 1937. Trude had her own dress shop in COlOgne, and Ludwig operated "Gebruder Kaulinan" (Kaufmarm Brothers) in Mainz, Germany for 33 years. The Kaufmans opened the'~first clothing store in Eugene in 1937 on Willamette Street. They · eventually oWned four stores, employing 125 people by 1968. Ludwig oversaw the financial end I of the businesses, while Trude served as manager and buyer. In 1962 Ludwig died So Trude ~ assumed responsibility for all aspects of the businesses. Trude Kaufman was an adVocate for women's fights, having campaigned in Germany to allow women the right to vote. Mrs. Kaufman maintained an extensive involvement with local charities, which she did quietly. She worked with the Pearl Buck Center and helped to fund and establish the REAL Program (Retarded Earn and Learn). In addition she was involved in the good work of the Salvation Army, YMCA, YWCA, and the Jewish Haddassah organization. HADASSAH, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, is a volunteer women's organization, whose members are motivated and inspired to strengthen their partnership with Kaufman Senior Center December 4, 2003 Page 3 . 46