We’ve known there are many other Portland homes and buildings yet to be discovered that were built by Harry Phillips, in addition to the 19 we’ve found so far here in Alameda Park. Thanks to some attentive visitors to the blog, we have an important addition to make to the list.

Prolific builder Harry Phillips built this English Cottage style Ladd’s Addition home in 1926 for his parents Henry and Louise Phillips. Photo courtesy of Tami and Brian Clare. 

The Henry and Louise Phillips home—located at 2108 SE Cypress—is a special English cottage that Harry built for his parents in 1926. Current residents of the home—Tami and Brian Clare—found our biography of Harry (click here to read the Phillips bio), which triggered a connection to their home. Tami and Brian had seen Harry’s name in the documentation about the house that was submitted as part of the Ladd’s Addition National Historic District nomination package. After visiting the blog, they put two and two together, and sent me a quick e-mail sharing their observation.

According to the nomination: “The house was built by building contractor Harry Phillips for Henry Phillips, possibly a relative, a machinist for Southern Pacific Company, who lived in the house with his wife, Louise.”

Brian and Tami wrote us with the following thoughts about the house:

“We love the style of our home, and so it was very exciting to find your website and know that there are other Harry Phillips homes in Portland!”

They were as excited to learn more about Harry as we were to find this special home he built for his folks. They also shared a photo of a carved ornamental beam, similar to beams found in other Phillips-built homes. Harry’s son Jerry attributes the design of the beam to architect George M. Wolff, who is believed to have designed many of Phillips’ homes.

Detail of a hand-carved beam, Henry and Louise Phillips Home. Photo courtesy of Tami and Brian Clare

Thanks to Tami and Brian for making this connection. We’ve recently put them in touch with Jerry to tell him about his grandparents’ home and to ask a few questions of their own.

In the process of perusing building permits for other research, we’ve come across another Phillips home to add to the list: 3035 NE 23rd.

Next to builder Frank Read, who built at least 20 homes in Alameda, Phillips was the busiest builder in this neighborhood.