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.