One of Oregon's most influential families used to live in this grandiose mansion

For a nominal fee of $10, you can explore Pittock Mansion, a grandiose home that was previously owned by one of the most influential families in Oregon.

Built in 1914, Pittock Mansion was owned by Henry Pittock, the owner of a newspaper called The Oregonian. Today it’s a museum where visitors can get a glimpse of what it was like during the time period that the Pittocks lived there.

I spent about an hour inside Pittock Mansion, examining all the rooms and reading the information boards posted throughout the inside. When it was first built, the house was home to 11 family members. The second floor had bedroom suites for Henry and his wife, Georgiana, and the families of their two daughters, Lucy and Kate.

One of the best things about Pittock Mansion are the views from almost all the windows. One particularly nice view comes from where servants worked in the kitchen. If my kitchen had a view like the one at the mansion, I’d probably be in there all the time.

The kitchen was pretty modern, too, for the time period, according to the information boards. And the reason for that is because in 1914, urban women were finding jobs in offices, shops, and factories, and it was hard to find good staff. Having a modern kitchen played a big role in attracting a cook.

It’s been over a century since the mansion was originally constructed, and it contains furniture that is not original to the house, including some from the Failings, another influential family that helped build Portland. Some other furniture comes from the Couch family. John Couch was a captain who promoted the early use of Portland’s harbor.

Being able to experience the inside of such a massive home that was owned by one of Portland’s most influential families is a fun way to kind of time travel back to the early 1900s. (As a side note, I couldn’t help but think about al the cleaning such a huge space requires 😛 )

Apart from all the fascinating things to see inside, equally as impressive is the breathtaking view of Portland from the back of the mansion. It is incredible! I spent close to another hour outside just strolling through the grounds and appreciating what I could see of the city from up there.