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National Park Service Lists BPA Salem Substation in Salem, Polk County in the National Register of Historic Places

The Salem Substation Historic District is among Oregon’s latest additions to the National Register of Historic Places. Recommended for listing by the State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) at its February 2025 meeting, the substation is recognized for its significance as an integral component of the Bonneville Power Administration’s (BPA) Master Grid Development period (1938-1945). Furthermore, the substation’s Control House is individually recognized as an outstanding example of the Streamline Moderne architectural style. The National Park Service, which maintains the National Register of Historic Places, listed the substation in spring 2025.

Located on the Dallas Highway (OR 22) in Salem, Polk County, the district includes six built resources, three of which are contributing: the Control House, Switchyard, and Transfer Track. The Control House, completed in 1942, exemplifies the Streamline Moderne architectural style with its smooth surfaces, rounded edges, and use of aluminum, stucco, and chrome. It is one of the few remaining examples of this architectural style that was used by BPA during its Master Grid Development period. As a unit, the district was pivotal in distributing hydroelectric power from the Columbia River dams to rural communities and industrial operations in the Willamette Valley during World War II, fulfilling the increasing energy demands of the era. To explore historic images of the substation and its architectural features, visit the Salem Substation photo collection at river.bpa.gov/portals/Salem-Substation-OR.

The National Register is maintained by the National Park Service under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. Properties listed in the National Register are:

  • Recognized as significant to the nation, state, or community;
  • Considered in the planning of federal or federally-assisted projects;
  • Eligible for federal tax benefits;
  • Qualify for historic preservation grants when funds are available;
  • Eligible for leniency in meeting certain building code requirements;
  • Subject to local laws pertaining to the conservation and protection of historic resources.

State law in Oregon requires local governments to offer a minimal level of protection for properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places; the decisions about how to accomplish that goal reside with local governments, which also have the authority to create and regulate local historic districts and landmarks.

More information about the National Register and recent Oregon listings are online at oregonheritage.org (under the heading “Designate”).


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