Barbara J. Hamby

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Pittock Mansion

On this crisp, clear day, I went with friends to the Pittock Mansion. It was long past time for me to see this historic building. Because it was a nice day, and part of the four-day Thanksgiving holiday, it was very crowded, with parking at a premium. We were fortunate that someone left just as we were being directed to a distant downhill spot, so we were able to drive all the way up the hill and park within a block or two. As we were driving up the hill, we stopped to let the driver of the longest stretch limo we had ever seen maneuver his way around a sharp curve. That vehicle looked longer than a bus.

This early 1900’s era mansion is decorated for the Christmas holiday and is very striking. With such good weather, the view from many of the windows is breathtaking. Often, when I visit a historic building, most of the things I see are those that I remember seeing before in my lifetime. Such is not the case with the Pittock Mansion. The opulence of the furniture, fixtures and decorating is almost overwhelming. Not all of the interior decorating is to our taste, but it all looks expensive.

Each of the many rooms is identified with a brief history given on a sign near the door. It struck me that the Refrigerator room might be misnamed, since the “appliance” inside looked much more like an icebox to me, although I couldn’t open it to be sure. The Turkish Smoking Room is intriguing, especially since a baby doll sits on a chair inside. The kitchen and butler’s pantry are very utilitarian looking. The Master Suite with two bedrooms, walk-in closets and huge bathrooms, is impressive. There are numerous other bedrooms, as well as, a couple of sleeping porches. One small round room reportedly served the purpose of what we would call a “mudroom” today. One thing I expected, and didn’t see, were pull chains on toilet tanks. Probably the toilets were a later addition.

The obligatory gift shop was too crowded with merchandise and people to afford a good look at any of the offerings. It was a nice outing and we talked about going back another time when the holiday decorations and the crowds are down.

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