Main Street Union working to restore Union’s historic Pursel Memorial.
By Garrett Christensen on Tuesday, December 23rd, 2025 in Northeastern Oregon Top Stories
UNION – The communities of Eastern Oregon have a rich history, in many cases stretching farther back than the state itself. The legacy of the region’s pioneer days is well known and has been well preserved through various volunteer efforts, but other facets of local history, particularly in the early 1900s, have slipped through the cracks over the decades. For members of Main Street Union, what started as an early step in a long-anticipated overhaul of the city park turned into the rediscovery and, hopefully, eventual restoration of one of Union’s most historically significant landmarks, the Pursel Memorial.
For those unfamiliar with the history, in brief, the memorial was built in honor of local residents Samuel and Esther Pursel, who donated 4-acres of property to the City of Union for the establishment of the City Park in 1919. The park still stands on this original donated plot to this day, with the memorial located in the center of the North 1st Street turnaround.
Though the memorial has been a known, if unremarkable, fixture for years, Main Street wouldn’t discover its true historical value until work began on the Park Master Plan around three years ago. When planning ways to improve the city park, including the area around North 1st Street, it became apparent that some work would need to be done on the old memorial.
According to Walt Brookshire with Main Street Union, who has been researching the memorial’s history and plans alongside Jana Dick, when Main Street dug into the design, they quickly discovered just how historically significant the memorial was to the city. Since then, efforts have expanded to include preservation and significant restoration of the memorial alongside the rest of the Park Master Plan.
For a bit more on the history, according to Brookshire, Samuel Pursel came to the region in 1872, opening a sawmill in Perry, known as “Stump Town” at the time. In 1887, he and Esther moved to Union where they raised their family, owning a local mill and farm, before generously donating some of their land to the City in 1919. As Brookshire remarked:
“The Pursel’s donation in 1919, much like the building of the Union Hotel, was an attempt to try and reinvigorate some value and economy back into the community.”
Though the exact date of design and construction is currently unknown, according to Brookshire, the Union city council voted in the early 1920s to erect a memorial in honor of the Pursel family, eventually asking one Merten Davis to design the monument in the mid-1920s. Davis himself, according to Main Street’s’ research, was a good friend of the Pursel family, was on the city council at the time, and had studied architecture at OSU before serving in the First World War.
The Pursel Memorial would stand proudly for years, eventually becoming the site of the first ever Peace Rose planted in Oregon in the 1950s by the Portland Royal Rosarians. Gradually, however, the structure began to fall into disrepair. By the 1970s, the three-tiered bronze fountain and lights had reportedly stopped functioning. Part of the issue, according to Brookshire, was the disbandment of the Union Women’s Club, who, during their time, were instrumental in maintaining the park and the memorial. Upkeep costs also simply became prohibitive for the city.
Things are changing, however. In October 2025, Main Street Union voted to submit a request to the city to have the memorial added to the city’s landmark registry. Already part of the Union Historic District, the addition to the registry will open up new guidelines to better maintain the memorial and reduce vandalism going forward. The process is partially slowed due to the need for evidence of public notices to avoid public taking issues.
Currently, Main Street Union is in the process of getting a memo of understanding with the city and developing a plan for restoration. A Spokane-based architectural firm has been brought in to assist, with the memorial itself requiring a complete gutting of its wiring and plumbing to restore the lights and a fountain, in addition to some needed structural work. Discussion is also underway on repaving and oil-matting the area around the site. The cost estimate is currently in development. The process is made slightly easier by Union Main Street’s status as a non-profit organization, allowing them to pick a contractor directly rather than going through a civic bidding process.
According to Brookshire, the plan is to apply for grants as soon as they open in January, with work expected to begin in the summer. An optimistic completion date for the project is for the end of Summer 2026. The hope is also to invite the Portland Royal Rosarians back to Union to plant another Peace Rose.
In the meantime, Main Street Union is working on funding. One idea discussed by Main Street Union is to fund restoration by incorporating pavers into the area of the memorial with the names of contributors. Main Street is also working with the Union School District as part of the greater Park Master Plan, potentially making the memorial restoration eligible for Ford Family Foundation grants. According to Brookshire though, Main Street is confident that the community, always having a can-do attitude, will step up to help and take pride in the restored memorial.
Currently, Main Street Union is willing to accept any and all contributions for the project, be they monetary, labor, or other types of support. For anyone interested in supporting the restoration, Main Street Union meets on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 6:00 p.m. at RattleTale in Union.
