Sunday’s three-alarm fire at the Great Northwest Bookstore in the Lair Hill neighborhood of Southwest Portland destroyed a historic 120-year-old building – built originally as the Fourth Presbyterian Church in 1890 – along with the livelihood of its owner, 100,000 books, and nearly an entire life of paintings, manuscripts and other worldly possessions from Portland poet and artist Walt Curtis. No injuries were sustained as a result of the blaze.

Curtis, whose 1977 autobiographical work Mala Noche stood as the basis for Gus Van Sant’s first film of the same name, had recently moved into a basement apartment in the building, and survived the fire without physical injury. But the loss of Curtis’ personal belongings has devastated the renowned Beat poet.

Former gallery owner and longtime friend Mark Woolley has set up, with Curtis’ blessing, a fund to help get Curtis much needed supplies, and basic funds to help get him back on his feet.

You can make a contribution to the Walt Curtis Fund at any Wells Fargo branch. Checks to the Walt Curtis Fund can be mailed to:

Walt Curtis Fund
Wells Fargo Bank
4233 NE Sandy Blvd
Portland, OR 97213

Notes/Letters to Walt can be sent to :

Walt Curtis
c/o Mark Woolley
2644 NE Cesar E. Chavez Blvd.
Portland, OR 97212

“This is the time to repay Walt for the richness he has brought to so many lives and our city,” said Woolley.

A separate fund has also been set up for building owner and Great Northwest Bookstore owner Phil Wikelund. You can contribute to “Phil’s Fire Fund” through On Point Credit Union.