Don Prechtel
"Dr. Snapp House" Oil Painting
1975

About the Item

"Dr. Snapp House" Oil Painting Don Prechtel (born 1936, American). The historic Dr. Snapp House in Cottage Grove, Oregon was built in 1886, by one of the town’s early doctors for his wife. The familiar Queen Anne-style house sits on South River Road, at the confluence of Silk Creek and the Coast Fork of the Willamette River, and is a museum maintained by the Prospectors and Gold Diggers Club showcasing early medical practices. Signed, "Don Prechtel '75" in bottom righthand corner. Frame Size: 12.5"H x 14.38"W Image Size: 7.5"H x 9.5"W Don Prechtel (born 1936, American) is an Oregon-based painter and muralist working as a professional artist since 1968, combining representational oil painting with a deep love of history. Inspiration comes from the words and artifacts found in the historical record, from visiting historical sites and from fellowship with other history centric artists. He has paintings in the collections of: Virginia Military Institute; Military Intelligence Museum, Ft. Huachuca, AZ;. Hamilton Collection, Museum of Native American Cultures, Western Art Association, Notre Dame Alumni Association building, Government House, Dublin, Ireland; Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific, Stockton, Ca;, University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History. Awards: John Scott People's Choice Award, Jurors Award, Purchase award, Merit Award, Heritage Award in 2001 and 2004 Founders Award National Arts for the Parks, 2003. Professional Organization: Founding member of the Northwest Rendezvous Group. The familiar Queen Ann Victorian house at the confluence of Silk Creek and the Coast Fork of the Willamette River is a museum maintained by the Prospectors and Gold Diggers Club to showcase early medical practices. It is Cottage Grove’s only Victorian-era house open to the public and next week it will be decorated in its holiday finery for the annual Dr. Snapp’s Holiday Bazaar, Dec. 1-3. Built in 1886, by one of the town’s early doctors for his wife, it was originally located near the corner of South River Road and Main Street. In 1966, the Lane County Housing Authority purchased the property to construct Riverview Terrace, a senior housing complex. To make way for what was to become the tallest building in town, nicknamed the High Rise by locals, the shabby Victorian home was destined to become a “burn to learn” exercise for the fire department. Local historian and business leader Ray Nelson persuaded club members to purchase the house from Lane County for $1 and then raised the funds to relocate it to a nearby city-owned property. Nelson’s original vision was to create a replica of the “village era” of Cottage Grove on that property to attract freeway travelers to stop and visit. The Dr. Snapp House was the first and only phase of that effort and sits today on the north end of Prospector Park near the Swinging Bridge that connects Slabtown to Lemati.

Creator:

Don Prechtel (1936)

Creation Year:

1975

Dimensions:

Height: 12.5 in (31.75 cm)Width: 14.38 in (36.53 cm)

Medium:

Illustration Board,Oil

Movement & Style:

American Impressionist

Period:

21st Century