The Ghosts of the Haunted Pittock Mansion

In 1909, at the age of 75, Henry Pittock decided to build a mansion befitting his status as one of Portland's leading citizens. He purchased 46 acres in Portland's West Hills, selecting a site that offered unparalleled views of the city he had watched grow from a frontier town into a thriving metropolis.

Henry and Georgiana hired architect Edward T. Foulkes to design their dream home. The couple was heavily involved in every aspect of the design, having traveled extensively and incorporating architectural elements they admired from their journeys. The result was a stunning French Renaissance Revival chateau that would be unlike anything else in Portland.

Construction took five years and employed the finest craftsmen available. The mansion featured innovations that were cutting-edge for 1914: a central vacuum system, indirect lighting, intercoms, and a walk-in refrigerator. The Turkish smoking room showcased rare woods and intricate detailing. The estate's grounds included formal gardens, a greenhouse, a gate lodge, and stunning terraces that took advantage of the spectacular views.

For the Pittocks, the mansion represented the culmination of their life's work - a physical testament to what could be achieved through determination and business acumen in the American West.

Henry and Georgiana Pittock moved into their completed mansion in 1914, ready to enjoy the fruits of their decades of labor. They filled the home with treasures from their travels, entertained Portland's elite, and enjoyed the spectacular views from their hilltop perch.

But their time in the mansion would be tragically short. Georgiana died in 1918 during the Spanish Flu pandemic that killed millions worldwide. She was 73 years old. Henry, devastated by the loss of his partner of 58 years, survived only until 1919, dying at the age of 85.

The couple had enjoyed their dream home for merely five years. Their children inherited the estate, but none wanted to live there. The mansion, built to showcase the Pittocks' triumph, became instead a monument to their memory - and, some say, a place where their spirits would eventually return.

After Henry's death, the Pittock family tried unsuccessfully to sell the mansion. The enormous estate was expensive to maintain, and few potential buyers could afford both the purchase price and the ongoing costs. The mansion sat largely empty through the 1920s and 1930s.

The Pittock heirs finally offered the mansion to the City of Portland in 1953, but the city declined the gift, citing maintenance costs. The mansion continued to deteriorate. By the 1960s, real estate developers were eyeing the property for demolition, planning to subdivide the land for housing.

The turning point came during the Columbus Day Storm of 1962, when hurricane-force winds damaged the abandoned mansion and knocked down numerous trees on the property. Newspaper coverage of the damage sparked public interest in the neglected landmark.

A grassroots campaign emerged to save Pittock Mansion. Citizens organized, raised funds, and pressured the city to act. In 1964, the City of Portland finally purchased the mansion and 23 remaining acres for $225,000. An army of volunteers worked to restore the deteriorating building, and in 1965, Pittock Mansion opened to the public as a historic house museum.

It was during this restoration period that the first modern reports of paranormal activity began to surface - as if the work to save the mansion had awakened something that had been sleeping during the years of abandonment.

Henry and Georgiana Pittock were equal partners in building their empire and their home. Georgiana was not content to simply be the wife of a wealthy man - she was actively involved in Portland society, supporting women's suffrage, founding the Ladies Relief Society, and helping establish what would become the Albertina Kerr Centers for children.

They were both in their 70s when they finally moved into the mansion, and both were accustomed to being active and engaged. Henry continued working at The Oregonian almost until his death. Georgiana maintained her social calendar and philanthropic work.

Witnesses who report seeing the spirits of an elderly couple in the mansion - often in the master bedroom or standing together looking out at the view - believe they are encountering Henry and Georgiana, still enjoying the home they waited their entire lives to build.

Henry and Georgiana had six children who survived to adulthood: Catherine, Lucy, Henry Jr., Caroline, Georgiana, and Frederick. By the time the mansion was completed, all were grown with their own established lives and households.

The children visited the mansion during their parents' lifetime but never lived there. After inheriting the property, they found themselves the owners of a white elephant - a magnificent home that none of them wanted to maintain. Their relationship with the mansion was practical rather than emotional, which may explain why no reported hauntings seem to connect to any of the Pittock children.

However, the Pittock grandchildren sometimes visited the mansion as children, particularly during holidays and family gatherings. Some paranormal investigators have speculated that the mysterious boy who haunts the mansion might be connected to these family visits - though no tragic death or dramatic event involving a child has been documented.

A mansion of Pittock's scale required a substantial staff to operate. During the Pittock family's occupancy, the estate employed cooks, maids, gardeners, a chauffeur, and other servants necessary to maintain such an elaborate household.

Little documentation survives about these workers, whose labor made the Pittocks' lifestyle possible. They would have known the mansion intimately - every room, every hallway, every secret corner. They would have climbed the servants' stairs countless times, prepared meals in the basement kitchen, and maintained the elaborate grounds.

Some of the unexplained sounds reported in the mansion - footsteps on the servants' stairs, the clanging of pots in the old kitchen, doors opening and closing - might be residual energy from these long-forgotten workers, forever repeating their daily rounds.

One intriguing theory about the mysterious boy ghost suggests he might have been a servant's child, someone who technically shouldn't have been in the mansion but who found ways to explore it anyway - which would explain his playful, mischievous behavior rather than frightening or malevolent activity.

No one knows the identity of the boy ghost who haunts Pittock Mansion. No child died in the house during its construction or during the Pittock family's occupancy. No tragic accident or illness took a young life within these walls. And yet, encounter after encounter describes the same entity - a boy estimated to be between 8 and 12 years old.

Descriptions of his appearance vary. Some witnesses report seeing a boy in early 20th-century clothing - knee breeches, a cap, and a jacket. Others describe more casual attire. What remains consistent is the sense that he is young, energetic, and endlessly curious about the mansion's visitors.

Unlike many ghosts, who are associated with trauma or unfinished business, this boy seems to simply be having fun. His pranks are mischievous rather than malicious, playful rather than frightening. He appears to enjoy the attention and the reactions he provokes.

Staff members and volunteers who work at Pittock Mansion have compiled an extensive list of the boy's pranks. Objects are a favorite target - they're moved from where staff carefully placed them, appearing in different rooms or turned backward. Tour guides will set up a room for the day, only to return and find items rearranged.

One museum guide reported placing a book on a table in the library, positioning it just so for a photograph. She stepped out of the room to retrieve her camera, and when she returned less than a minute later, the book had been moved to a different table entirely.

Doors are another source of pranks. Doors that staff members know they closed will be found standing open. Locked doors have been discovered unlocked. One volunteer described closing and locking a door, only to hear it open behind her. She turned to see the door standing wide open, with no one visible in the doorway.

The boy seems particularly active in the servants' quarters and the back stairs - areas that would have been perfect for a child to explore unseen during the mansion's occupied years. Multiple people have reported hearing the sound of running footsteps on the servants' stairs, as if a child were racing up or down them. When they investigate, no one is there.

One of the most frequently reported phenomena connected to the boy ghost is the sound of childish laughter echoing through empty rooms. Tour guides, visitors, and staff members have all described hearing a young boy's giggle or laugh when no children are present in that area of the mansion.

The laughter isn't eerie or malevolent - witnesses consistently describe it as the genuine sound of a happy child enjoying himself. Sometimes the laughter seems to be a response to something the living have done or said, as if the boy is amused by the mansion's visitors.

One tour guide tells of explaining to a group that the mansion is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a playful boy. At that exact moment, the distinct sound of a child's laughter rang out from the floor above - where no tour was taking place and no children were present. The entire group heard it clearly. The guide says, "It was as if he was saying 'Yes, I'm here, and I heard you talking about me.'".

Some visitors to Pittock Mansion report physical contact that they attribute to the boy ghost. These interactions are never painful or aggressive - rather, they feel like a child seeking attention.

People describe feeling a gentle tug on their clothing, as if a child were trying to get their attention. Others report feeling a tap on their shoulder or back, turning to find no one behind them. Some visitors have felt what seems like a small hand briefly touching their hand or arm.

One woman visiting the mansion with her young daughter reported that her child kept turning around during the tour, saying that "the boy" was following them. The mother saw no one, but her daughter described a boy in "old-fashioned clothes" who kept trying to show her things and was disappointed that the tour group wasn't looking where he wanted them to look.

As they left the mansion, the daughter waved goodbye to someone only she could see, saying "Bye! I hope you find someone to play with you next time!"

Several theories attempt to explain who the boy ghost might be:

The Servant's Son Theory: Perhaps he was the child of someone who worked at the mansion, someone who technically shouldn't have been there but who explored every corner of the estate while his mother or father worked. His playful nature and familiarity with the servants' areas supports this theory.

The Lost Visitor: During the mansion's early years, wealthy families would sometimes visit. Perhaps a child became separated from his group, got lost in the vast mansion, and somehow never made it out. However, no record of such an incident exists.

The Construction Site Accident: Some speculate the boy might have died during the mansion's five-year construction period. Construction sites in the early 1900s were dangerous, and children from workers' families sometimes played in and around work sites. However, again, no historical record supports this theory.

The Time Slip: A more unusual theory suggests the boy isn't a ghost at all in the traditional sense, but rather someone who lived in a different era whose energy somehow intersects with our own time at specific locations in the mansion. This would explain why he seems so alive and engaged, rather than trapped or confused.

Whatever the truth, the boy remains one of Pittock Mansion's most enduring mysteries - and based on the frequency of encounters, he shows no signs of leaving anytime soon.

The most frequently reported apparition of Georgiana Pittock appears in or near the master bedroom. Witnesses describe seeing an elderly woman in period dress, often standing at the window or sitting in a chair.

One museum volunteer reported arriving early to open the mansion and seeing a woman in a long dress standing at the master bedroom window, looking out at the view. Thinking a visitor had somehow gotten in before opening hours, the volunteer hurried upstairs - only to find the room empty and still locked.

Other witnesses have smelled roses in the master bedroom when no flowers are present. Georgiana was known for her love of gardening and maintained extensive rose gardens at the estate. The scent of roses with no visible source is often interpreted as a sign of her presence.

Some believe Georgiana's spirit remains in the mansion because she had so little time to enjoy the home she spent years planning. In death, perhaps she's claimed the leisure time that life denied her, spending eternity in the bedroom with the million-dollar view.

Henry Pittock's spirit is most often reported in what was his study - a room that overlooks the formal gardens and the city below. Witnesses describe seeing an elderly man, sometimes sitting at the desk, other times standing at the window.

One particularly detailed account comes from a paranormal investigator who was documenting the mansion after hours. She photographed the study from the doorway, and her camera captured what appears to be a translucent figure of a man standing by the window. The figure wasn't visible to the naked eye, appearing only in the photograph.

Staff members report that the study sometimes smells of pipe tobacco, though smoking has been prohibited in the mansion for decades. Henry Pittock was known to enjoy his pipe, particularly while reading the newspaper in his study.

The theory that Henry's spirit remains in the mansion suggests he, like his wife, never wanted to leave. He worked his entire life to build his empire and this estate. Why would he abandon it in death?

Several witnesses have reported seeing two figures standing together at various windows in the mansion, looking out at the view. The figures appear elderly and are standing close together in a way that suggests a long, comfortable relationship.

One security guard doing rounds late at night reported seeing a couple standing at the window of the Turkish smoking room. He could see them clearly from outside the mansion, silhouetted against the indirect lighting that's left on overnight. Thinking someone had broken in, he rushed inside - only to find all doors and windows secured, and no one in the smoking room.

These sightings are interpreted as the spirits of Henry and Georgiana together, still enjoying the views they waited a lifetime to possess. If the reports are genuine, it suggests that whatever exists after death allowed this devoted couple to remain together, sharing in death what they created in life.

The sound of footsteps when no one is walking is among the most common phenomena reported at Pittock Mansion. These occur throughout the building but are particularly frequent on the servants' stairs and in the upper floor hallways.

The footsteps vary in character. Sometimes they're heavy and measured, like an adult walking with purpose. Other times they're light and quick, like someone running - often attributed to the boy ghost. Occasionally, witnesses report hearing the distinctive sound of period footwear on the mansion's wooden floors - the sharp tap of women's heels from an earlier era.

Other sounds include:

• Doors opening and closing when no one is near them
• The sound of furniture being moved, though nothing has been displaced
• Voices engaged in conversation, too faint to make out words but clearly human
• Music playing, though no source can be found
• The clanging of pots and pans from the old basement kitchen when no one is downstairs

Visitors and staff frequently report sudden cold spots in the mansion - areas where the temperature drops noticeably for no apparent reason. These cold spots don't correspond to vents or windows and often move, as if something cold is passing through the space.

One tour guide described leading a group through the main hallway on a warm summer day when the entire group suddenly felt an intense cold, as if they had walked into a freezer. The temperature drop lasted about 10 seconds before the warmth returned. Everyone in the group felt it simultaneously.

Some rooms in the mansion have a reputation for feeling "heavy" or oppressive, as if the atmosphere itself is thicker. Visitors report difficulty breathing or a sensation of pressure on their chest when entering these spaces. The feeling typically dissipates when they leave the room.

Interestingly, photographs taken in these areas sometimes show anomalies - orbs, mists, or light streaks that weren't visible when the photo was taken. While skeptics attribute these to dust or camera issues, believers see them as visual evidence of spiritual energy.

Pittock Mansion contains a small elevator that was installed for accessibility purposes. This modern addition has become the site of strange occurrences that staff members have difficulty explaining.

The elevator sometimes operates when no one has called it, rising or descending with no passenger inside. Staff members report hearing the elevator moving during times when the mansion is closed and no one else is in the building.

One maintenance worker reported checking on the elevator late at night and finding it stopped at the upper floor, its door standing open. He knew he had left it on the ground floor with the door closed. As he watched, the door closed on its own, the elevator descended to the main floor, and the door opened again - as if something had used it and was now offering it to him.

There's speculation that spirits in the mansion have learned to use the modern elevator to move between floors, finding it more efficient than climbing stairs. While this might sound absurd, it aligns with theories that spirits can interact with electrical or mechanical systems.

Visitors to Pittock Mansion frequently capture unusual images in their photographs. While many can be explained as dust, lens flare, or other natural phenomena, some images are harder to dismiss.

One visitor photographed the formal living room and captured what appears to be a translucent woman sitting in one of the chairs. No one was sitting there when the photo was taken, and the figure appears in period dress.

Another photographer captured an image of a face peering out from a second-story window, photographed from outside the mansion. When he went inside to find whoever was looking out, all the rooms on that floor were roped off to visitors and empty.

Several photographs show what appear to be shadows of people in rooms and hallways where no one was present. These shadow figures often appear in the periphery of the image, as if whatever they represent was aware of being photographed and was trying to stay out of frame.

Skeptics note that old buildings, dim lighting, and high visitor traffic create ideal conditions for photographic artifacts. But believers point out that similar anomalies appear across hundreds of different cameras and photographers, suggesting something beyond mere technical glitches.

Henry and Georgiana Pittock worked their entire lives to build their empire and their dream home. They were 75 and 69 years old respectively when they finally moved into the completed mansion. They had perhaps five years together in the home before Georgiana died, and Henry survived her by less than a year.

In paranormal theory, ghosts often result from unfinished business or powerful emotional attachments. The Pittocks' brief time in their hard-earned home certainly represents unfinished business - a life's work with barely any time to enjoy its fruits. If consciousness persists after death, their attachment to the mansion might be powerful enough to bind them to it.

This theory would explain why the Pittocks' ghosts don't seem distressed or confused. They're not trapped - they've chosen to stay, finally able to enjoy in death what life gave them so little time to savor.

The stone tape theory suggests that buildings, particularly those with high quartz content in their stone or concrete, can record and replay events like a tape recorder. Intense emotions or frequently repeated actions might be imprinted on the building's structure, only to replay under the right conditions.

Pittock Mansion, with its solid construction and quality materials, might serve as such a recording medium. The daily routines of the Pittock family and staff, repeated countless times during the mansion's occupied years, could have left an imprint that occasionally plays back for the living to witness.

This would explain some of the more routine haunting phenomena - footsteps, doors opening and closing, the sounds of domestic activity. These wouldn't be intelligent spirits but rather echoes of the past, replaying like ghostly home movies.

Pittock Mansion was nearly demolished in the 1960s. Its salvation came through a grassroots effort - thousands of Portland citizens who decided this landmark was worth saving. They raised money, volunteered countless hours, and fought to preserve the building.

Some paranormal theorists suggest that this collective emotional investment in the mansion might have created or intensified spiritual energy at the location. The building became more than just a historic house - it became a symbol of community preservation, a place that Portlanders collectively decided deserved to exist.

This theory is speculative, but it's interesting that reports of paranormal activity increased after the restoration and public opening of the mansion. Perhaps the building, saved from destruction by public will, responded by revealing its spiritual inhabitants to its rescuers.