Yukon Tavern; The Morgue

David McCarthy

Yukon Tavern

Grandma and Grandpa lived on Yukon Street and the Yukon Tavern sign was the landmark for where we turned to get to their house. It’s been there for my whole life, and continues to be one of my favorite subjects when the light is just right.

The Morgue

This winter I’ve been fascinated by the patterns of bare tree branches superimposed on patterns of the wood framing for streetside outdoor dining shelters, but here the seemingly random pattern of the branches contrasts quite nicely with the very regular grid of the formwork for this concrete wall. And Grandma and Grandpa’s cremains are interred inside.

David McCarthy is a retired architect who has been using his daily walks through Portland neighborhoods to capture photos of small houses, garages and vintage cars. His work regularly appears in Northwest Review.