The Coolest

Houses You Can Visit in Portland

Portland is known for a lot of "weird" things, and one of those might just be its eclectic architectural history. There are so many cool houses and buildings throughout Portland, very little consistency in style, which gives us some of the coolest houses in the country (in our humble opinion). Check out this list of houses you can visit, sometimes tour, and at least get to check out on your visit to the Rose City. Before you take your home tour, make sure you...

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Mackenzie House (now William Temple House) | 615 NW 20th Ave

The Mackenzie House's history is wild. From stints as a flophouse and speakeasy to its original ownership by the founder of Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), you can now visit Portland's most stunning example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style, with its trademark medieval-inspired stone arches, cone-topped turret, and wrought-iron details in NW Portland. For open house information, call 503-226-3021.

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M. Lloyd Frank House | Lewis & Clark College Campus

Not to be confused with Frank Lloyd Wright (who we'll get to later), this house was built for department store Meier & Frank founder M. Lloyd Frank and his family. The beauty in this building, which now serves as the administrative offices for Lewis & Clark College, is shown in its intimate rooms and expansive ballrooms. Not to mention there are 8 acres of gardens to walk through with a gorgeous view of Mt. Hood. Those college kids are lucky!

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Pittock Mansion | 3229 NW Pittock Dr

The owner of Pittock Mansion, Henry Pittock, was integral in bringing up The Oregonian to be a newspaper that is still alive and kickin' today. His Pittock Mansion, built in the early 1900s, offers a panoramic view of so many gorgeous spots in the greater Portland area like the Willamette River, Portland itself, and the Cascade Mountains in the distance. This place is literally a museum... go check out the exhibits (we highly recommend it around the holidays, too!).

Pittock Mansion‍‍

The Gordon House by Frank Lloyd Wright | Silverton, OR

Architects every where get super turned on by everything Frank Lloyd Wright. Is that an over-statement? Maybe, but all we know is that the Gordon House has IT, whatever "it" is. “Organic architecture seeks a unique sense of use and a finer sense of comfort, expressed in organic simplicity,” says architect Wright. Built in the 1950s and 60s, you can currently tour this home (about an hour south of Portland in Silverton, Oregon) to learn more about Wright's Usonian architectural vision, the history of the couple who owned it, and more. Totally worth the hype.

The Gordon House‍‍

Irvington Home Tour | NE Neighborhood, Portland, OR

Irvington is one of Portland's most high-end, gorgeously designed neighborhoods in inner PDX. Once a year, the Historic Irvington neighborhood offers a tour of exterior (and some interior) locations within the neighborhood. You'll find great examples of Craftsman, bungalow, Colonial Revival homes and so much more. This mix is explicitly eclectic and you'll find a little something for everyone. Honestly, they're all gorgeous. We dare you to find a favorite.

Irvington Home Tour

REST YOUR WEARY HEAD AT JUPITER

Hit up those stunning Northwest home tours, then unwind in the center of it all! Need a place to cozy up and decompress before heading up to your room for the evening? Stop in at Hey Love for a night cap. Summer at Jupiter Hotel is unparalleled. All we need is YOU.

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