Bend's first reinforced-concrete building, raised in 1916 by Hugh O'Kane, where tenants report footsteps, a basement figure, and lights in empty upper rooms.
115 NW Oregon Ave, Bend, OR 97703
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
A working commercial building viewed from the public sidewalk; exterior viewing is free, and interior access depends on the current tenants.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Downtown corner on flat, paved sidewalks at Oregon Avenue and Bond Street.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1916 · First building in Bend built primarily of reinforced concrete · Downtown Bend's largest commercial building at roughly 26,000 square feet · Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 (NRHP #86002965)
Hugh O'Kane, an Irish-born entrepreneur in early Bend, built the O'Kane Building in 1916 on the west corner of Oregon Avenue and Bond Street. The project followed the loss of his Bend Hotel, which burned on August 30, 1915; O'Kane responded by erecting a fire-resistant replacement on the site.
The Beezer Brothers, Louis and Michael J. Beezer of Seattle, designed the two-story structure, with Fred Frodeson as general contractor. It was the first building in Bend constructed primarily of reinforced concrete, and at roughly 26,000 square feet it remains downtown Bend's largest commercial building. The original layout held six retail stores and a theater on the ground floor, with twenty offices and a private apartment above. Its decorative entrance features hand-carved wooden doorframes and a stained-glass transom bearing the 'Bend Bee' design.
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 6, 1986 (NRHP #86002965), recognized for its role in Bend's early commercial development.
It has remained a working downtown property, housing offices and storefronts more than a century after it was built, and is documented by the Oregon Encyclopedia and the Deschutes County Historical Society, which has placed a historical marker for the building.
Sources
The O'Kane Building carries some of downtown Bend's most-repeated ghost lore. As described by Bend Magazine and The Bulletin, employees and visitors over the years have reported hearing footsteps and a voice in the building that local tellings attribute to Hugh O'Kane himself, and people have described seeing an elderly man in the basement.
On the top floor, people have reported strange lights seen from outside the building, along with disembodied voices and the appearance of smoke when no one is present. A separate story attached to a former restaurant space describes a ghost waitress heard shouting orders. Kelly Cannon-Miller of the Deschutes County Historical Society has said there are numerous urban legends surrounding the building's hauntings.
These accounts are local oral tradition rather than documented events, and the historical record ties the building firmly to O'Kane's life and business rather than to any death on the property. The building is a fixture of Bend's Halloween-season ghost walks, where the O'Kane stories are told alongside those of the Reid School and other downtown landmarks.
Notable Entities
Media Appearances
See the 1916 O'Kane Building on the corner of Oregon Avenue and Bond Street, including its carved entrance and 'Bend Bee' stained-glass transom; it is a stop on Bend's seasonal ghost walks.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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