'Juniper House' that once provided end-of-life care for AIDS patients is now on National Register of Historic Places

Think Out Loud

'Juniper House' that once provided end-of-life care for AIDS patients is now on National Register of Historic Places

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Published on Apr 9, 2025, 1:10:58 PM
Total time: 00:22:12

Episode Description

An unassuming house in Southeast Portland’s Buckman neighborhood was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places. Once known as “Juniper House,” the building served as one of the first end-of-life care homes for AIDS patients in the Pacific Northwest in the late 1980s. An OPB documentary at the time explored the lives of some of the patients in Juniper House and the neighboring Assisi House, which provided a range of care for patients with HIV/AIDS.

Jan Weyeneth is one of the co-founders of Juniper House. Cayla McGrail is a former associate project manager for Portland’s LGBTQ+ Historic Sites Project, which sponsored the house’s listing. They both join us to share more about Juniper House and the importance of documenting queer history in Portland.

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OPB's daily conversation covering news, politics, culture and the arts. Hosted By Dave Miller.