40 US Historical Homes That Are Worth the Visit

33.Pittock Mansion

In Portland, this old U.S. home is a French Renaissance chateau-style home initially built in 1914. They made it as the primary residence for the publisher of the Oregonian, Henry Pittock. The 46 room home is Tenino Sandstone from Washington State. It includes panoramic views of downtown Portland thanks to its location in the West Hills neighborhood. In 1965, they extensively renovated the home. They also added it to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Today, it serves as a community landmark with an estimated 80,000 visitors every year. Due to its location and elevation above sea level, the mansion’s grounds are a uniquely excellent place for bird watching, attracting tourists to the site.

When it was first built and completed in 1914, the home featured heretofore unheard of luxuries like a central vacuuming system, intercoms, hidden lighting, an elevator, and a walk-in refrigerator. Georgiana Pittock was a hugely avid gardener, so of course, gardens that reflected that surrounded her home. Portland is known for its roses, and in fact, Georgiana was a founding member of the Portland Rose Society and hosted the first Portland Rose Show in 1889. You will have heard of the next entry, so read on to find out more about the Shangri La. We’ll bet you didn’t know everything!