Flavel House Museum

Flavel House offers a glimpse into Astoria's early seafaring days, set on a hill overlooking the Columbia River.

This striking mansion was once owned by prominent citizen Captain George Flavel. He made his fortune in the 1800s as a bar pilot on the treacherous waters of the Columbia River in Astoria Oregon.

Flavel House was built in 1884-1885 as a retirement home for Captain Flavel. He shared the house with his wife Mary, and daughters Nellie and Kate, but unfortunately died seven years later. His wife and daughters then traveled extensively, only returning to the home during summer. The mansion was eventually donated to the city of Astoria in 1934 by Flavel's great grand daughter.

I enjoyed touring both floors of this 11,600 square foot mansion, but was not permitted access to the basement or attic. The lower floor had a music room, dining room, library and kitchen, and the upper floor had bedrooms and a bathroom.

I purchased my ticket at the adjacent carriage house, which once housed the family's horse and buggy. The carriage house had some interesting exhibits, and I sat down and watched a short movie on the history of the mansion.

Flavel House Museum is 2-hours from Portland Oregon in the historic coastal town of Astoria.

Check hours & admission.

3 interesting facts about Flavel House

1. The most shocking fact about Flavel House, is that it was nearly demolished to make a park in 1936, and parking lot in 1951. Thankfully, some concerned citizens prevented this from happening.
2. Flavel House is also well known to fans of The Goonies (1985) movie, where character Mikey's dad is a curator at a museum.
3. John Flavel was Astoria's first millionaire, and one of the richest men in Oregon in the late 1800s. He was first a successful river bar pilot, then owned a fleet of tug boats that guided ships past the mouth of the Columbia River. This business generated the $36,000 used to build Flavel Mansion.

This three story tower is the most prominent architectural feature at Flavel House (unfortunately not open to the public). It was built so that Captain John Flavel could watch ships entering the Columbia River from the Pacific Ocean, braving the dangerous waters. 

Guests were entertained in the music room, where Nellie played the piano and Katie sung. Both Nellie and Kate were talented musicians. I was struck by the soaring 14-foot ceilings on the main floor.

The beautiful library is where the Flavel family went after dinner, to read or write letters. It's directly across the hallway from the dining room.

The parlor is off the library, with a separate area for tea.

The dining room has a beautifully carved fireplace that immediately drew my eye. There are a total of eight original fireplaces at Flavel House. It must have kept the staff busy maintaining these fireplaces.

The light filled conservatory is off the dining room, and was the ideal place for breakfasts. I could see the original wood shutters.

The kitchen was tucked away at the back of Flavel House.

This the stunning staircase to the upper level. The woodwork throughout Flavel House demonstrates a high level of craftsmanship, including crown moldings and ornate fireplaces.

The guest bedroom is one of five bedrooms on the upper floor of Flavel House.

Katie Flavel moved into this bedroom when she was 21 years old, previously sharing a room with her older sister. A pass-thru sink room connected Katie's bedroom to her sister Nellie's.

You can catch a glimpse of the pass-thru sink, just off Nellie Flavel's bedroom.

I noticed a beautiful picture of Katie Flavel along the upstairs hallway (far left).

Mary Flavel's room was adjacent to her husband's, Captain George Flavel.

Captain George Flavel's bedroom is the biggest in the house. He died of pneumonia in this room in 1893.

This is the upstairs bathroom, which was very ahead of its time by having indoor plumbing.

My first stop on the trip to Flavel House Museum, was the visitor center in the old stables and car garage. 

Other fun things to do in Astoria

There's some much to do at the popular Oregon riverfront town of Astoria!

Enjoy a waterfront meal at the Bridgewater Bistro or Astoria Brewing Company.  Visit the world-class Columbia River Maritime Museum, or walk to the top of the Astoria Column.

Drive a short distance out of town see the Peter Iredale shipwreck at Fort Stevens, the North Head Lighthouse at Cape Disappointment, or the Lewis and Clark fort at Fort Clatsop.  Learn more about visiting Astoria.