The Historic P.J. Ryan Dwelling House at 125 South 3rd Street in Jacksonville has been purchased by Veritas Corporation, an Oregon Company. The principal of the firm is Mark DeBoer. The property which has been the home of South Stage Cellars for the past 10 years will continue to operate as a wine tasting room and entertainment venue for the foreseeable future. The listing of the property was handled by Richard Bauernfeind of Coldwell Banker Commercial.
The P.J. Ryan Dwelling House has a rich history dating back to the mid 1800’s. Little is known about Patrick J. Ryan’s activities other than his speculative property investments. P.J. Ryan died in Jacksonville in 1908 of rheumatism. In 1865 James Cluggage, who had legal patent rights to this land, deeded to B.F. Dowell and P.J. Ryan two separate parcels on South Third: Dowell’s 1ot included his “Law Office” and lay just north of John Miller’s lot and Ryan’s 37’x l00’ deep lot was adjacent but north of Dowell’s lot. Thus by 1865 P.J. Ryan had been declared the legal owner of the lot where the present brick is situated. A building with dimensions that correspond to the present brick structure appears on an 1868 map of Jacksonville. P.J. Ryan probably constructed the present brick edifice around 1865.
Over the years this handsome brick building has been a law office, a hotel, a restaurant and the private home of one of Jacksonville’s major benefactors, Robbie Collins. The property had been owned by Robbie or his relatives since the early 1960’s. The sellers of the property were Jacksonville Heritage Properties, who are nieces and nephew of Robbie.
Situated right in the center of downtown Jacksonville, the building—and its lovely gardens—are considered to be one of the jewels in the Historic District, as recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For all its history and heritage, the building has been maintained meticulously and is in excellent condition.
The current tenant, South Stage Cellars, proudly features their own estate wines as well as wines made by over a dozen of Oregon’s most prestigious winemakers—all made exclusively from grapes grown by the mother company of South Stage Cellars, Quail Run Vineyards, which is one of the area’s largest vineyards.
South Stage contracts with some of Oregon’s finest winemakers to craft their wines and South Stage Cellar wines have won numerous awards over the years. Because of the variety of their Quail Run Vineyards, South Stage Cellars features an amazing 28 varieties of wines which are available by the case, bottle or can be enjoyed on the premises and in the wine garden. At South Stage Cellars you’ll find space for intimate gatherings and a serene European-style wine garden with friendly and knowledgeable staff serving wine by the flight or glass as well as light bites.