Vista House
Encyclopedia
Vista House is an observatory
at Crown Point
in Multnomah County, Oregon
that also serves as a memorial to Oregon pioneers
and as a comfort station for travelers on the Historic Columbia River Highway. The building shows great sensitivity to its site in the Columbia River Gorge
near Corbett
, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
(NRHP).
. With its marble interior and brass fixtures, some Oregonians at the time derided it as the "$100,000 Outhouse".
to the west. Beacon Rock
, on the Washington side of the gorge, is visible to the east.
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
at Crown Point
Crown Point (Oregon)
Crown Point is the name of a promontory on the Columbia River Gorge and an associated state park in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in eastern Multnomah County, approximately 15 miles east of Portland. Crown Point is one of the scenic lookouts along the Historic Columbia River Highway,...
in Multnomah County, Oregon
Multnomah County, Oregon
Multnomah County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat, Portland, is the state's largest city...
that also serves as a memorial to Oregon pioneers
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
and as a comfort station for travelers on the Historic Columbia River Highway. The building shows great sensitivity to its site in the Columbia River Gorge
Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge is a canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Up to deep, the canyon stretches for over as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range forming the boundary between the State of Washington to the north and Oregon to the south...
near Corbett
Corbett, Oregon
Corbett is an unincorporated community on the Columbia River in eastern Multnomah County, Oregon, United States. It is located on the Historic Columbia River Highway between the Sandy River and Crown Point....
, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
(NRHP).
History
The Crown Point Vista House was completed in 1918. It was designed by Edgar M. LazarusEdgar M. Lazarus
Edgar Marks Lazarus was an American architect who was prominent in the Portland, Oregon, area for more than 45 years. He was best known as the architect of the Vista House on Crown Point in the Columbia River Gorge....
. With its marble interior and brass fixtures, some Oregonians at the time derided it as the "$100,000 Outhouse".
2005 reopening
The building is a popular tourist stop for drivers on the Historic Columbia River Highway. The building was refurbished and the interior restored to its 1916 appearance; it reopened in 2005. From the top of Vista House, which is accessible by stairs, one can view Portland and Vancouver, WashingtonVancouver, Washington
Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington. Incorporated in 1857, it is the fourth largest city in the state with a 2010 census population of 161,791 as of April 1, 2010...
to the west. Beacon Rock
Beacon Rock State Park
Beacon Rock State Park is a state park of Washington, USA, in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, on State Route 14 about east of Vancouver, Washington....
, on the Washington side of the gorge, is visible to the east.