John V. Bennes – the Father of the Grand Staircase
The Grand Staircase was the creative work of renown Oregon architect, John Virginius Bennes. Bennes was born August 23, 1867 in rural Illinois. As a child, he moved with his family to Chicago. Bennes studied architecture at Prague University, graduating in 1890. Other information indicates that he studied under or worked for his contemporary and fellow Chicagoan Frank Lloyd Wright.
In 1900 he and his new wife, Annice Smalley, moved to Baker City, Oregon. Some believe that Bennes was drawn to Baker City by the gold boom. One of his early design projects there was a makeover of the interior of the Geiser Grand Hotel. Other projects were City Hall, the Elks Lodge, and many residences in the city. He also designed the hotel at the Hot Lake resort near La Grande.
In 1906 Bennes and his family moved to Portland. He continued his work as an Oregon architect for the next 36 years. By the time he retired, he had amassed an impressive portfolio, much of it involving higher education. His work on Oregon campuses was so prolific that the 1940 census records his occupation as “Architect/School Houses, etc.”.
You can read a more extensive John V. Bennes biography here.
Our interest in Bennes, of course, comes from his designs for the Eastern Oregon Normal School (now EOU) that opened in 1929. His choice of Italian Renaissance Revival architecture flows through the campus – the Grand Staircase, Inlow Hall, a set of steps and benches west of Inlow (sadly no longer there), and J. H. Ackerman Elementary School (now Ackerman Hall).
Inlow Hall at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande has a twin – Churchill Hall at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, also Bennes’ design, built in 1926.
There are a few minor differences and, of course, the fact that Inlow Hall has a Grand Staircase and Churchill Hall does not.
The obvious reason for building a staircase at EOU (and not at SOU) is the terrain on which the campus in La Grande was built. EOU is sited on an alluvial bench which overlooks the city. Inlow Hall sits on the edge of this bench, some 40 feet above the street below.
The Grand Staircase may or may not have been a part of the first plans for the campus. None of the La Grande Observer 1927 and early 1928 articles we have read make any mention of steps or stairs of any kind. A July 19, 1928 article reveals that the center of the building (now Inlow) would face north, directly down Ninth Street and it was expected that “the main approach for pedestrians will be on Ninth Street to the foot of the hill”. There is no mention of how these pedestrians might get from the bottom of the hill to the top!
Finally, in an article published September 21, 1928 (a year and a half after the site had been chosen) we found the first hint of a staircase. The story details the progress that had been made on construction and includes the following paragraph…
“It (Inlow Hall) will be a splendid addition to the city from a scenic standpoint, for it is situated on a bluff with a magnificent view of town and surrounding country. It is to be finished in cream stucco with a red tile roof. Many steps will lead up to its front door from the street below.”
Of course, some would consider “many steps” as a somewhat vague description of what would eventually be the Grand Staircase. Did Bennes have a completed design of the staircase by then, or was it still just an idea on his drawing board?
The next mention of the staircase was not until March 11, 1929. In an article out of Portland, the Observer announced that the steps leading up to Eastern Oregon Normal’s main building would be “most imposing” and the stairway would quite likely be “the largest and most impressive” in the state of Oregon.
In late April another article tells us how many steps there would be (100) and a May 10th article provides the most detailed description yet…
“An impressive architectural feature of the Eastern Oregon Normal school campus is the wide concrete stairway leading to the north entrance of the building from the street below. This stairway is 150 feet in length and rises 42 feet with low, broad treads that provide an easy ascent. Construction is buff-colored concrete with cast stone trim to match the main building.”
And, a June 5th article goes on to say…
“These steps are the largest and most impressive in the entire state.”
Of course, a staircase of this significance was not built in a day and when dedication ceremonies for Eastern Oregon Normal School were held June 5, 1929, the steps were not yet finished. It was anticipated that they would be before the opening of summer term on June 17 or the beginning of fall term (reports varied).
When exactly Bennes had the inspiration for our beloved Grand Staircase remains a mystery. We’re just glad he did.
Note: In actuality, when the construction of Inlow was completed, the main entrance faced south instead of north – a design change made somewhere along the way. There were two entrances on the side facing the staircase – one on the east intended for use by students and one on the west meant for faculty and staff.
Friends of the Grand Staircase 