nearly doubled between 1880 and 1900, fueled by the improved transportation networks and <br />processing facilities like prune and nut dryers. <br />Within this period of d'evelopmen't the small family-owned farm flourished in the River Road <br />area, as is indicated in the Agriculture Section of the context statement titled Eugene's Historic <br />River Road, June 2006. In-1920 Frank and Bertha Brunner purchased 24 acres on-the west side <br />of River'Road from Fred and Mary Chambers. Records indicate that the Brunner's maintained <br />prune and cherry orchards and'developed a prune drying facility as early as 1921, concurrent <br />with construction of the Brunner-Schmitz House. ' <br />Over time the success of the "Brunner Commercial pryer" was assured due to the perseverance <br />of the Brunner and Schmitz families until changes in agricultural production, particularly the <br />demise of fruit ahd nut production in the local area resulted in the closure of the Brunner <br />Commercial Dryer in 2003, when the dryer auildings were demolished. <br />Research indicates that the dryer business grew substantially between 1940 and 1960 and <br />became lucrative and well respected in the region. In 1944 only six Dehydrators.& Dryers of <br />Fruits and Nuts' existed in the local area, indicating that this was a significant.niche business <br />that served local orchardists and fruit growers of the community. During World War 11 the <br />Schmitz.family had a government contract to provide dried fruit for the war effort. The Brunner <br />Commercial Dryer became an agent for the wholesale distributor of Hudson House in Portland,- <br />Oregon, further ensuring their success. <br />The Brunner-Schmitz House remains as a testament to the long-tenure of agricultural practices <br />in the River Road area by the Brunner and Schmitz families. Based on.the information above, it <br />appears that the Brunner-Schmitz_'House is associated with agricultural events, particularly the <br />drying of nuts and fruit that made a significant contribution to the -broad patterns of agricultural <br />history in the River Road area and Eugene. <br />b) Is associated with the lives of persons significant to our past. <br />Frank Brunner was born in Germany in 1869 and immigrated to the United States in 1890, <br />having reached the age of 21. Bertha Thoni was born in Switzerland in 1872 and immigrated to <br />the United States in 1894. Frank and Bertha were married in 1903 and for the next sixteen <br />years resided in Poweshiek County, Iowa. The couple moved to Lane CoirntyOregon in 1919 <br />and Frank worked at the Eugene Fruit Growers Association. Frank and Bertha Brunner <br />purchased their twenty-four acres of land on the west side of River Road on August 18, 1920. <br />The couple was obviously busy during these early years with the construction of their new <br />house, the prune dryer, and managing their agricultural enterprise. In 1904, Ernest Brunner <br />was born to the couple. <br />Liz Carter completed research in the Eugene City Directories to determine the number and location of <br />Dehydrators & Dryers in the area. <br />HRB Agenda - Page 6 <br />395