“Henry Lewis Pittock was an English-born American pioneer, publisher, newspaper editor, and wood and paper magnate. He was active in Republican politics and Portland, Oregon civic affairs, a Freemason, and an avid outdoorsman and adventurer.” Wikipedia.
When Pittock headed west from PA, “to seek his fortune” he was hired as a typesetter at the Oregonian (Portland had some 30 different newspapers started at this time). Shortly after marrying, he was granted ownership of the newspaper in exchange for back wages (quite a stroke of luck).
When I toured the mansion years ago, I was quite impressed by Henry’s tiled walk-in shower with its wrap-around chromed piping that shoot streams of water from head to toe. Quite impressive.
If you look closely the place looks pretty shabby. The landscaping is overgrown and the roof looks to be in bad shape. Supposedly family members were still living in it at this time.
Did white people live there ?
That picture was taken in 1964, not 1946. The trees were downed two years prior, during the Columbus Day Storm, October 1962.
@David How is it relevant if white people lived there or not?
At first glance I thought it was taken after the Columbus Day storm in 1962. However, there isn’t a “Big Blow” listed in 1946. Anyone know why all the downed trees?
Google Pittock mansion 1964. There is a color version of this very same picture. It was for sure taken in ’64, not 1946. Color photography was very rare in 1946…if not at all.
That must have been quite a storm in 1946 with all those fallen trees! It almost looks like some of the damage after the Columbus Day Storm of 1962. Interesting tie in with yesterday’s vintage photo featuring Harvey W. Scott elementary school in northeast Portland. Scott, of course, was Pittock’s crusading editor at The Oregonian for many years, eventually becoming part owner of the newspaper.
Thanks Chad. I’m not sure why it’s in the 1946 container at efiles. I did see that the descendants of Pittock had been trying to sell it since 1958 and, after the damage in ’62, considered tearing it down.
Of course, it’s a transposition typo. 1946 – 1964
No problem, Steven. I know quite a bit about Pittock and the mansion, itself. I’ve done work on the house and have been in parts of the house, that are not accessible to the public. It’s a unique structure, in it’s construction and technology of the time it was built.
Thank you for the corrections everyone! We have updated the catalog to reflect the correct date.
David: I love your tongue-in-cheek comment. The mansion was built in the early to mid 1910s. History tells us that Portland was very segregationist during that era. Minorities were the people who built the houses (such as the White House) in which rich, white people lived. I think it is essential that people are aware of this. This is not a social/political comment; it is a simple, statistical fact that is documented. I am confident that I will receive more than one thumbs down and that is fine with me. Alas!
We did the ‘Behind the Scenes Tour’ a few years back. Was amazing. There’s stairways, halls, and rooms behind the main house where the servants lived and worked.
Another great house tour is the Winchester House in San Jose.
Mike Slama,
I agree with your shabbiness observation. The cut logs next to the driveway are weathered and had been there for at least a few years before the storm downed the live trees.
We are so fortunate that the place was preserved.
What a coincidence. Hiked up there yesterday. Stopped in the gift shop and I bought a book on the Columbus day storm. Good read I might add.
I’m convinced that most of those people who were racist or whatever back then would be different today. It was the times people.
Vintage Portland 
Here’s a similar view today:
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5251667,-122.7167167,3a,59.2y,194.05h,101.89t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipO3J0znp70WFusqOVHGKJWdG1082a3JYFi5bJe8!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipO3J0znp70WFusqOVHGKJWdG1082a3JYFi5bJe8%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya134.16208-ro-0-fo100!7i5376!8i2688?hl=en&authuser=0
“Henry Lewis Pittock was an English-born American pioneer, publisher, newspaper editor, and wood and paper magnate. He was active in Republican politics and Portland, Oregon civic affairs, a Freemason, and an avid outdoorsman and adventurer.” Wikipedia.
When Pittock headed west from PA, “to seek his fortune” he was hired as a typesetter at the Oregonian (Portland had some 30 different newspapers started at this time). Shortly after marrying, he was granted ownership of the newspaper in exchange for back wages (quite a stroke of luck).
When I toured the mansion years ago, I was quite impressed by Henry’s tiled walk-in shower with its wrap-around chromed piping that shoot streams of water from head to toe. Quite impressive.
If you look closely the place looks pretty shabby. The landscaping is overgrown and the roof looks to be in bad shape. Supposedly family members were still living in it at this time.
Did white people live there ?
That picture was taken in 1964, not 1946. The trees were downed two years prior, during the Columbus Day Storm, October 1962.
@David How is it relevant if white people lived there or not?
At first glance I thought it was taken after the Columbus Day storm in 1962. However, there isn’t a “Big Blow” listed in 1946. Anyone know why all the downed trees?
Google Pittock mansion 1964. There is a color version of this very same picture. It was for sure taken in ’64, not 1946. Color photography was very rare in 1946…if not at all.
That must have been quite a storm in 1946 with all those fallen trees! It almost looks like some of the damage after the Columbus Day Storm of 1962. Interesting tie in with yesterday’s vintage photo featuring Harvey W. Scott elementary school in northeast Portland. Scott, of course, was Pittock’s crusading editor at The Oregonian for many years, eventually becoming part owner of the newspaper.
Thanks Chad. I’m not sure why it’s in the 1946 container at efiles. I did see that the descendants of Pittock had been trying to sell it since 1958 and, after the damage in ’62, considered tearing it down.
Of course, it’s a transposition typo. 1946 – 1964
No problem, Steven. I know quite a bit about Pittock and the mansion, itself. I’ve done work on the house and have been in parts of the house, that are not accessible to the public. It’s a unique structure, in it’s construction and technology of the time it was built.
Here’s a color photo of the Pittock Mansion sometime after the Columbus Day Storm of October 1962: https://pittockmansion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/1962-columbus-day-storm-damage-exterior2-new.png
Same view in color here: https://pittockmansion.org/our-story/history/
Thank you for the corrections everyone! We have updated the catalog to reflect the correct date.
David: I love your tongue-in-cheek comment. The mansion was built in the early to mid 1910s. History tells us that Portland was very segregationist during that era. Minorities were the people who built the houses (such as the White House) in which rich, white people lived. I think it is essential that people are aware of this. This is not a social/political comment; it is a simple, statistical fact that is documented. I am confident that I will receive more than one thumbs down and that is fine with me. Alas!
We did the ‘Behind the Scenes Tour’ a few years back. Was amazing. There’s stairways, halls, and rooms behind the main house where the servants lived and worked.
Another great house tour is the Winchester House in San Jose.
Mike Slama,
I agree with your shabbiness observation. The cut logs next to the driveway are weathered and had been there for at least a few years before the storm downed the live trees.
We are so fortunate that the place was preserved.
What a coincidence. Hiked up there yesterday. Stopped in the gift shop and I bought a book on the Columbus day storm. Good read I might add.
I’m convinced that most of those people who were racist or whatever back then would be different today. It was the times people.