New construction in the 1600 block of Southeast First Avenue is flanked by the two former Andrus houses. (Photo taken Sept. 3)
On bike rides through Albany’s east end, I often pass the “Keyhole House” at the corner of First Avenue and Denver Street. This summer I could not help but notice that a house was being built next door.
For many years, brothers Jerry and George Andrus lived on this block side by side, Jerry in the Keyhole House at 1638 First Ave. S.E., George in another historic house at 1620 First, with an empty lot between them.
If you don’t know, Jerry was a celebrity in the world of magicians. He was an illusionist who invented amazing tricks, filled his house with the clever devices he built, and gave performances all over the world. You can still see him in a number of grainy video clips on YouTube.
Jerry was born in 1918. When he died on Aug. 26, 2007, the Democrat-Herald reported his death at the top of Page One.
After his death, Emma and Jacho Eaton bought the Keyhole House and completely refurbished and restored it.
Jerry and his elder brother, George, had grown up in that house since their family moved there in 1928. When George returned to Albany in the 1970s after a career in banking, he moved next door to his brother.
George was an artist, photographer, musician and composer, as well as a designer of toys and gadgets. In his 80s and 90s, he volunteered to help maintain the Eagle Trail in Takena Landing Park, tearing down invasive ivy and, by himself, clearing the trail of fallen trunks with a crosscut saw and muscle.
George died on June 28, 2016, at the age of 100.
The Eatons sold the Keyhole House last year. Now they own George’s former house and are building a new place — one story, three bedroooms and two baths —Â in between both houses. They have yet to decide whether they’ll move there when it’s done.
“George’s home needs some work and we intend to do the work,” Emma told me in an email. “When it’s all completed, we will have left them in a better state when they were found. That is our intent in our home and in our community.”
Emma mentioned something else. On the west end of this block, at the corner of Cleveland Street, there’s a one-story ranch, built by and then the home of the late Robert Potts and his family. Bob, of course, was the man behind the incredible collection of photographs that give us some idea of what Albany looked like over the last century and a half.
“As you probably know,” Emma wrote (no, I didn’t), “George and Bob were classmates in school and competed for a scholarship to Albany College. It must have been quite an interesting block when Bob Potts and George and Jerry Andrus lived here. They were one of a kind.”
An interesting block then and still, like much of the rest of Albany’s east side. (hh)
This city has such a rich history.
As an owner of an East Side property
I enjoy seeing all the wonderful renovations and changes. I’m in the middle of one myself.
DVD on Jerry Andrés available at Albany Regional Museum.
Thanks for the history, Hasso.
Another interesting factoid about George Andrus and Bob Potts. They were best friends. The museum has an interesting circular letter that George wrote to Bob when they were both serving in WW2. They were also both avid photographers. I once asked George why so few of his photos featured all of the great architecture and people around us. His reply was something like, “Well, Bobby was always taking those shots. No reason to double the film use.”
Many years ago, I had a chance to visit the keyhole house and meet Jerry Andrus. He was a fascinating man.
We always enjoy your stories and photos. We lived in Albany from 1978-1987, moved back in 1990, moved to Oregon City in 1992 with our three children in tow. We retired from the Ministry in 2019 and moved back to the area for good. We love Albany and all the history and beautiful old homes. It’s always nice when an older home is restored and lived in again.
Their father Wilber lived at 1638 and passed away in 1932.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/37089128/wilber-andrus
My wife and I had a good friend who was a world class magician and we met Jerry Andrus through him and watched his magic tricks which were unbelievable. He wasn’t a magic performer but a developer of tricks and was known world wide. Probably the most famous Albany resident basically unknow in Albany.