The Pittock Mansion of Portland, Oregon

With Nancy J. Farrier

Henry Pittock

Georgiana Pittock

In 1853, Henry Lew Pittock traveled from Pennsylvania to Oregon. He was 19, “barefoot and penniless,” and found a job working for the Weekly Oregonian
newspaper. In 1860, he married 15-year-old, Georgiana Burton of Missouri, who had come west with her family six years before. The couple began a life long commitment to their family and community. They were married 58 years and had six children and eighteen grandchildren. They community service efforts were well known.

The same year Henry and Georgiana married, Henry became the owner of the Weekly Oregonian. He changed the newspaper from a weekly to a daily print. He built an empire through real estate, banking, railroads, steamboats, sheep ranching, silver mining and the pulp and paper industry.

Georgiana had many interests and concerns of her own. She did much to improve the lives of women and children in the Portland community. She was instrumental in the founding of the Ladies Relief Society in 1867. The LRS provided a Children’s Home that reached out to needy children with food, care and shelter.

View of Portland from Mansion

Both Georgiana and Henry loved the outdoors. Georgiana loved flowers and gardening. Henry loved horses and rode in the Portland Rose Festival Parade. He also loved hiking and was a member of the first party to climb to the top of Mt. Hood.

In 1909, Henry and Georgiana began planning their mansion,

Pittock Mansion

which would be built on a hill overlooking the Willamette River. The mansion was completed in 1914. The house had many design influences: Turkish, English and French. Because of their love for their community, the Pittocks hired Oregon craftsmen and artisans to work on their house. They also used Northwest materials as much as possible.

Pittock Mansion Back

Gate House

The mansion was situated on 46 acres, and nearly 1,000 feet above downtown Portland. The estate also had a three-car garage, a greenhouse, and an Italianate gate lodge, which provided a residence for the servants. The house is 16,000 square feet and
has 46 rooms. When the Pittocks moved in, nine family members moved in with them, so three families were living there at the same time.

Clock in Mansion

Marble Staircase

The Pittock’s only resided in their mansion for four years. Georgiana died in 1918 and Henry died in 1919. The family maintained the residence until their grandson decided to sell the property in 1958. The home fell into disrepair and the threat of demolition stirred some concerned citizens.

The people of Portland fought to raise the money to restore and keep the landmark. Portland women held bake sales, teas and luncheons to raise money. When the women went to the city officials to state that they were still short of the needed funds, the city of Portland decided to purchase the mansion and grounds anyway. 

Today, the Pittock Mansion is a great place to tour. Many of the innovations in the house are fascinating to see. I loved the upstairs bathroom with the extra faucet for shampoo. There was also an intercom to call from the various rooms of the house, so the servants could be contacted.

Original Table

Some of the furnishings in the mansion are pieces that were there when the Pittocks lived there. In the renovations, they have tried to be true to the original look. All of those period pieces are labeled. 

Intricate Ceiling Pattern

Children's Puppet Theatre

The grounds have several trails through the wooded areas above Portland. The flowers are beautiful and meticulously maintained. The artwork and furnishings are incredible as are all the historical tidbits found around the home. If you are ever in Portland, Oregon, take the time to visit the Pittock Mansion. 

For the drawing I will be giving away a copy of The Immigrant Brides or your choice of one of my books. To enter, please leave a comment. I would love to know if you have ever visited the Pittock Mansion. If not, what historic mansion have you visited? What fascinates you most about these older houses?

Nancy J Farrier is an award winning author who lives in Southern California in the Mojave Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. Nancy and her husband have five children and one grandson. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. Nancy is represented by Karen Ball of The Steve Laube Literary Agency. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.

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