THE GROTTO

Host to more than 300,000 visitors a year, the National Sanctuary of our Sorrowful Mother, more popularly known as The Grotto, is a multi-level Catholic outdoor shrine and sanctuary with the main entrance located at NE 85th Avenue and Sandy Boulevard in Portland, Oregon.  Parking and admission to the lower level is free to the public.

Free parking

Constructed in 1924, the sanctuary covers 62 acres and displays more than 100 statues as well as reflection ponds, prayer labyrinth, meditation chapel and inspirational views.

There are two levels once inside the Grotto.  The lower level includes an imposing cave carved out of the 110-foot basalt cliff and serves as an outdoor cathedral and wedding venue.  

Outdoor Cathedral

The marble statue in the center of the cave is a replica of Michelangelo’s depiction of Mary cradling Jesus’ crucified body, and is surrounded by flowers and candles.

Michelangelo's "Mary cradling Jesus' crucified body" housed at the Vatican.

The lower level also houses a visitor complex, an art gallery displaying historical nativity scenes, a gift shop and the Chapel of Mary, where mass is held every Sunday. 

Chapel of Mary

Inside Chapel of Mary

From May through October, mass is also held outdoors in the Grotto Plaza — an expansive, pew-lined square facing the Grotto Cave.

Grotto Plaza

A tranquil trail is lined with towering moss laden trees,  Along the walk, elaborately carved sculptures illustrate the 14 Stations of the Cross.

There are several thousand feet of trails throughout the 62 acre complex. The Smithsonian Institution has 23 statues and memorials registered at The Grotto. The day of my visit there was a wedding in progress. Beautiful setting.

For a $7 admission fee, you can ride the elevator built against the cliff’s craggy rock face to reach the Grotto’s  botanical gardens and meditation chapel. On this level you are greeted by a lush oasis of groomed rhododendron gardens and dense foliage.  Perched atop the cliff is the impressive Marilyn Moyer Meditation Chapel — a modernist granite and glass structure that has won numerous national and international architecture awards since its construction in 1991. The chapel’s north wall is made entirely of glass, providing a striking view of the Cascade Mountain Range and Columbia River Valley.

View of Meditation Chapel from below

Entrance to the Meditation Chapel

 

 

The upper level also includes the Peace Garden, featuring a trail that meanders through mossy fir trees and flowerbeds and circles a serene reflection pond. 

Another path will lead to a labyrinth, a circle of crimson bricks surrounded by wooden benches. A peaceful prayer walk opportunity.

Prayer Labyrinth

In the late spring and early summer, the botanical gardens are in full bloom, overflowing with rhododendrons, daylilies, impatiens, roses and daisies. 

Another peaceful path weaves through St. Joseph Grove’s towering trees to St. Anne’s Chapel, a small brick building built in 1934 that houses several pastel-colored paintings.

The gardens are beautifully manicured and you will find unique art at every turn. 

The monastery house looks like a small, stone castle overseeing the grounds.

This is well worth the stop. For more information check out The Grotto. 

PITTOCK MANSION

Born in London, England in 1834, Henry Pittock grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, having moved there at age 4. It was in 1853, at the age of 19, that he headed west on the Oregon Trail.  

Upon his arrival in Portland, Henry immediately landed a job as a typesetter at The Oregonian.  It was a tumultuous time for anyone to be involved in the newspaper industry, both financially and competitively, with more than 30 newspapers launching in Portland during that same time period.  

On June 20, 1860, Henry married Georgiana Burton.  Just five months later, he was given sole ownership of the paper in exchange for back wages. He subsequently went on to transform The Oregonian into a successful daily newspaper that is still being printed today.

Henry Pittock and wife Georgiana Burton

Henry Pittock went on to build a financial empire. But it wasn’t all work and no play.  As an avid outdoorsman he was among the first group to climb Mount Hood. 

It was in the early 1900s that Henry Pittock began initial planning for his “mansion on the hill”.  Construction began in 1912 and Mr. and Mrs. Pittock moved into the home in 1914 with eight other family members.

Unfortunately, the couple only lived in Pittock Mansion for four years before they died. Family continued to stay in the home until the 1950s. The last residents of the mansion were grandson Peter Gantenbein and his father, Edward.  They moved out in 1958 and subsequently put the mansion up for sale.

Pittock Mansion sat empty for the next four years and became a casualty of the Columbus Day Storm on October 12, 1962. Hurricane-force winds damaged roof tiles and window panes, allowing water to enter the Mansion. By 1964, the Mansion was in such poor condition developers attempted to tear it down and build a subdivision. Fortunately, the Portland citizens rallied to assist the city in raising funds to purchase the property at a cost of $225,000.

To restore the Mansion and transform it from a private residence to a public space took a total of 15 months. In 1965, Pittock Mansion finally opened to the public as a historic house museum. In 1968, the nonprofit Pittock Mansion Society formed to assume responsibility of furnishing the mansion, caring for the collection, and providing educational activities. In 2007, the Society finally took over the day-to-day museum operations from Portland Parks and Recreation and has been operating the museum ever since.

THE PITTOCK MANSION

The mansion is a 16,000 square foot French Renaissance style home designed by architect Edward T. Foulkes.  There are 23 rooms including a Library, Music Room, Turkish Smoking Room, Sewing Room, five large bedrooms, and two sleeping porches. Foulkes also included modern conveniences such as thermostat-controlled central heating, indirect electric lighting, refrigerator room, elevator, and a central vacuum system.  

The focal point of the home was the central stairwell, which occupies one-third of the mansion space and connects three stories. 

The floors are marble, and the railing is made of eucalyptus. The bronze grill work required 200 different castings because of its twists and turns, and the bronze light fixture is equipped with electric lights and gas jets for emergencies.

Here are views and items from some of the 23 rooms within the mansion. 

 

  

 

  

THE GATE LODGE 

The Gate Lodge is 2,400 square feet built of reinforced concrete with a stucco exterior and clay tile roof. It covers four floors connected by a central staircase. The Gate Lodge sits next to what was the original gated roadway leading up to the Mansion.

The Gate Lodge was first occupied in 1914 by the Pittocks’ chauffeur and his wife. After they moved out, the estate steward James Skene and his wife, Marjory, moved in. The couple had one daughter, Marjorie, who grew up on the Pittock estate. After the Skenes moved out in 1953, the Gate Lodge remained largely empty, unheated, and plagued with leaks in until the City of Portland and the Pittock Mansion Society partnered to restore the building in the 1970s. 

THE GROUNDS

The original Pittock estate was comprised of 46 acres of land and commands one of the best views in town. Situated high in the West Hills neighborhood, the viewpoint overlooks Portland’s skyline from 1,000 feet up. On a clear day you can see five Cascade Mountains: Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams, Mount Rainer, and Mount Jefferson.

The museum offers public guided tours, based on volunteer availability, which are included with your admission price.  I opted for the self-guided tour. 

Admission will run $11 for adults and $10 for deniors.  The price will include viewing of the Pittock Mansion, the grounds and the Gate Lodge.