Photo: WD Photography

Pittock Mansion: 10 Facts of the Famed Haunted House Portland

Danni Holland

If you’re not an Oregonian, then chances are you may have never heard of the historical site known as the Pittock Mansion. This gorgeous French Renaissance-style château was originally constructed in 1914 and served as the home to publishing tycoon Henry Pittock and his wife Georgiana. If you’re interested in learning more about the Pittock Mansion, the shady family history behind it and how it has gained notoriety throughout the decades, then look no further than these next few lines.

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Pittock Mansion Portland Oregon

The Pittock Mansion is a property located in Portland, Oregon that gained popularity due to the fact that it was constructed by a prominent family who lived in the area back in the early 1900s. When the family passed, the home was purchased by the city of Oregon and claimed as a historical site.

But the question we all want to know is, is the Pittock Mansion haunted? Ever tried Googling “haunted house Portland” and seeing what comes up? If you find the Pittock mansion, then you shouldn’t be too surprised. This is because there have been numerous reports throughout the years that the mansion has been haunted.

Visitors have reported experiencing everything from strange sightings to questionable noises and even smelling “phantom scents”. Of these occurrences include reports from individuals and tour guides of windows shutting and latching on their own as well as encountering apparitions of the couple and the head groundskeeper. Others have reported hearing the sounds of heavy footsteps and even seeing a certain portrait of Mr. Pittock moving around the mansion. Fortunately, there haven’t been any accounts that have noted these occurrences seemed malicious in any way, shape or form.

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Pittock Mansion View

One of the most notable features of the Pittock Mansion includes the glorious view of Portland — one which is considered to be the best in the city. This is due to the fact that it was constructed on Portland’s West Hills 1,000 feet above the city, and as a result, it has become quite the hiker’s paradise. On a clear day, it is said that tourists can catch beautiful vistas of Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams, Mount Rainer, and Mount Jefferson.

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Pittock Mansion Floor Plan

If you plan on signing yourself up for a Discovery Tour, then you’ll gain access to the tour booklet which includes a floor plan of the property.

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Pittock Mansion Hike

All of you outdoorsy folks out there are going to love the fact that the property also hosts a 5.7-mile hike which begins at Lower Macleay Park Trailhead and ends at the Pittock Mansion itself. The family-friendly hike is rated as moderate in terms of difficulty and gets pretty crowded during their busy seasons.

Pittock Mansion Christmas

Despite the fact that the Pittock Mansion is closed on Christmas, tourists can still enjoy holiday festivities during the season. In fact, their “A Very Portland Christmas Display” has been delighting the Portland-area community for over half of a century. The holiday display focuses on iconic events, themes and individuals of significance within the Portland community and includes everything from a Darcelle-themed Turkish smoking room (named after the city’s most popular drag queen) to nods towards the community’s beloved Packy the Elephant, Powell’s and Peacock Lane.

Pittock Mansion Hours

The Pittock Mansion hours of operation are as follows:

January: Closed

February – May: 10AM – 4PM

June – Labor Day: 10AM – 5PM

September – December: 10AM – 4PM

The site remains closed throughout the entire month of January, as well as on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas.

Pittock Mansion Tours

The Pittock Mansion hosts both self-guided tours as well as public tours at the property. For self-guided tours, visitors can explore the premises at their own pace and are provided a map of the property at the main entrance. The recommended length of time for self-guided tours is 60 minutes.

Public guided tours last approximately 50 minutes in length and are scheduled based on the availability of tour guide volunteers. If you’re interested in learning more about their tour service, you can contact the mansion at (503) 823-3624.

Pittock Mansion Wedding

The Pittock Mansion is considered a historical site and unfortunately does not accept reservations for weddings or private events. The site is however available for commercial photography and filming rentals.

Pittock Family History

Henry Pittock and his wife Georgiana Pittock are the original owners of the property and lived an upper-crust lifestyle as socialites within the Portland, Oregon community. Henry was a newspaper publisher originally born in London as well as a business tycoon who eventually became one of the wealthiest men in Oregon society. He gained prominence through his heavy investments in industries such as banking, railroad, ranching, and mining. He was also an avid outdoorsman and helped found the Mazamas climbing club.

His wife, Georgiana, was an avid gardener and also an active member of the community who helped found several organizations and charities. Among these include the Women’s Union, the Ladies Relief Society, the Martha Washington Home, the Portland Rose Society as well as the Portland Rose Festival.

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The couple decided they wanted to build a home in 1909 and brought on the renowned San Francisco architect Edward T. Foulkes to complete the job. The home took 5 years to complete and boasted state-of-the-art features for the time period including an elevator, an intercom system, a walk-in refrigerator, and a central vacuum system.

However, while the Pittocks seemed like the picture-perfect family, the truth of the matter remains that they were far from perfect. Perhaps their most notable controversy was brought to light by a city councilman by the name of Will H. Daly. Daly found that the Pittock’s arranged to have a water line fed to the home’s construction project completely at the cost of the city. When he exposed the scandal, it resulted in a long-lasting feud between the Pittock’s and Daly, which eventually led to the demise of his political career.

Pittock Mansion Movies

What movies are the Pittock mansion featured in?

To date, the Pittock Mansion has been featured in several films, the first of which was the 1977 film, First Love. The 1982 slasher film Unhinged also featured the house in their film as well as the 1989 film The Haunting of Sarah Hardy. It was also heavily featured in the 1993 film Body of Evidence starring Willem Dafoe and Madonna. Oh, and we can’t forget that it was the finish line for the 13th season of The Amazing Race.