Do you have any old family albums with photographs that pertain to the Friendly Neighborhood? Volunteers are working on articles of history in the FAN, but some of the subjects are a bit sparse in material. If you are willing to share your pictures, we will scan them and incorporate them into our posts. Not to mention, give you and your family a by-line in the article.

Things we are most on the look out for:

• Pictures of the old Eugene Drive-In Theater (29th and Willamette)
• Pictures of the old Eugene Country Club golf course on College Hill
• Pictures of the Friendly Gas Station (28th and Friendly)
• Pictures of any business along Willamette St that are no longer there.

If you have anything about the subjects listed above, or any other material of history in the FAN, please contact us and we will get back to you. The Friendly is an interesting place, please help us all share in the stories.

A group of dog lovers have stepped up to volunteer and care for Wayne Morse Dog Park (595 Crest Dr, Eugene, OR 97405), a lovely off-leash dog park with meadows, hills, trees, trails, and happy dogs and their owners. The group works with the City of Eugene, neighborhood associations, and other groups to hold work parties to maintain the park. This group is open to all park users.

On a rainy day in February, two volunteers and two staff from the City of Eugene Parks and Open Space braved the weather to plant two giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) saplings. The group's supervisor, an expert on digging holes, provided direction and guidance. Photos from the planting event are below.

These two trees will count toward the "2,021 in 2021" project. In 2021, Eugene will welcome the IAAF World Track and Field Championships and thousands of visitors from across the globe. To help offset the carbon footprint associated with such a large event, Parks has launched an initiative to plant 2,021 giant sequoia trees by 2021. An article in the Register Guard has more information.

​The group is planning another Dog Park Work Party on a Saturday morning on either June 15, 22, or 29. The work party could take care of the following:

• Fill mud holes
• Resurface trails with gravel
• Weed whacking (string trimming) the fence lines
• Debris removal (if still present)

Spread the word with your friends, family, and neighbors. If you are unable to perform hard manual labor, the group also needs help recruiting participants or preparing snacks and beverages for the volunteers. Most importantly the group has fun and builds community. Join the Google Group to receive about once monthly updates.

The City of Eugene Public Works Department has started work on repaving West 19th and 20th Avenues in the Friendly. This work comes after months of construction in the area by Northwest Natural Gas to put their gas lines deeper underground to prevent them from being damaged during the roads reconstruction.

These streets have deteriorated pavement due to age and traffic loading and need to be repaved. Work will also include reconstructing sidewalk access ramps in order to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This project is primarily intended to repair the street pavement, but additional storm sewer work will be done to improve drainage.

ADA ramps are expected to be completed by mid-May. Concrete work will be done from May to June. 19th Avenue preparation and paving is planned for mid-June. The project overall is expected to be completed in early July. An exact timeline is not set in stone and could possibly change.

​Originally concrete curb bump outs were planned for 19th and Jefferson to reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians, constrict the traffic lane to reduce vehicle speeds, and make pedestrians more visible to drivers. However due to both the need for delivery trucks and buses to navigate the intersection and to accommodate the potential for separated bike lanes on Jefferson Street in the near future, temporary bump outs will be installed instead. This is a less expensive option that can demonstrate the effectiveness of its design. An example of this treatment is located at the intersection of Oak Street and South Park Avenue in Downtown Eugene.

Pan and zoom the Google Street View from May 2018.

Photos from May 2019.​

​Although the details are yet to be worked out, treatments could include marked crosswalks, street painting, planter boxes, reflective flap posts, and signage. The City will collaborate with FAN residents and businesses on the design, installation, and maintenance of fixtures or paint.

Additionally City staff have committed to launching a public process in 2019 that will look at constructing traffic calming on Jefferson Street in 2020. As part of that public process, the City will consider installing bike lanes on Jefferson. See details at the end of this article for how to stay informed and participate.

The City of Eugene Public Works Department provided the following in its Project Information Sheet for West 19th Avenue Pavement Preservation.

Work will occur on:

• W. 19th Ave. from Tyler St. to Jefferson St.
• W. 20th Ave. from Jackson St. to Adams St.

Traffic Impacts

• Drivers should expect lane and street closures during construction.
• On street parking may be restricted to accommodate construction activities.
• Pedestrians should expect sidewalk detours during the sidewalk ramp work at the intersections.
• Bicyclists should expect to merge with motor vehicle traffic depending on available lane widths during construction.
• With any construction, drivers should expect equipment and workers in the roadway leading to congestion and delays during the work.

Project Funding
The major source of funding is the 2012 Street Preservation Bond.

For More Information
Project Manager: Ryan Essler, phone 541-520-9893, [email protected]
Online road reports: www.eugene-or.gov/traffic
On Twitter: twitter.com/EugenePW

The FAN Transportation Team will coordinate and publicize the progress of this project through the Friendly Newsletter, Friendly Flyer, Google Group, and Facebook and Twitter feeds. Sign up or follow us to participate and stay informed.

FAN Transportation Team Meetings
First Monday of the month, except January and September.
7:00 - 9:00 PM
Billy Mac's Bar & Grill
605 W 19th Ave
Eugene, OR 97402
Map and Directions
The Transportation team meetings are open to the public.

by Gary Arnold

Sampson Hirem Freundlich was born in New York City December 16, 1840. As a young man, he made his way to the west coast in 1863 and eventually to Eugene in 1865. Although full of energy, he was empty of financial resource. Penniless, he found work at Goldsmith and Blanding's General Store where he worked for four years. Turning some of that energy into hard work he opened his own store around 1869.

This is a story repeated thousand of times in America. Going west to find a better life. Why should anyone in the Friendly Area Neighbors find this story of more than passing interest? Somewhere in his youth, Sampson Freundlich shortened his first name to Sam and "Americanized" his last name from German to English. He became Sam Friendly. Eventually his adopted city of Eugene would name a street and neighborhood after him—our very own Friendly neighborhood.

​His dry goods store at 884 Willamette (west side of the street, just south of where the mid-block crosswalk is located) gradually transformed into an upscale mercantile which imported fabrics and patterns of the latest big-city fashions (you sewed your own clothes back then).

Sam married a Salem girl,  Mathilda Adler, on Nov 16, 1873. They had three daughters, Carrie, Theresa, and Rosalie.

Sam started to make a name for himself by becoming an active booster for bringing the railroad to Eugene (which happened in 1871). He also was elected president of the Eugene Board of Trade in 1888. He was described as a small, quick-stepping man who always had time for the University and its students. He is rumored to have never missed a U of O football game (first game 1894). His interest in the U of O led him to sit on the board of Regents for the University 22 years (1895-1915).

A statewide ballot measure in 1907 considered whether the state should continue funding the university. A "no" vote would have brought the school to ruin. Sam worked tirelessly in support of continued funding, and when the measure passed in the June election, a huge victory rally was held at the old Kincaid Field (located on Memorial Quad between Chapman and Condon Halls). The students demanded a speech from Sam, bodily lifting him from the muddy field and placing him onstage. Although he had no speech prepared, he met with resounding applause from the assembled crowd.

Sam served two terms on the city council and was elected mayor of Eugene from 1893-1895. During this time, in appreciation of his work with the university board of regents, the new university dormitory built in 1893 was named Friendly Hall.

Sam lived out his days in Eugene. He died on August 13, 1915 at the age of 75. His obituary in the paper ran a full page. He is buried in the mausoleum building at the Eugene Masonic Cemetery, not too far from Friendly Hall, Friendly Street, and the Friendly neighborhood.