A historic house with many original features that was formerly a 19th century lumber baron’s summer home is available free for relocation. This is an around 2700 sq. ft. house with three stories. The house has four bedrooms with the top floor consisting of one large master bedroom. There are also three fireplaces and a root cellar.
The house was built in 1889 by Olaf B. Aagaard, who owned the mills that supported the region’s railroads, as a summer home when his family was away from their main Portland home. Olaf B. Aagaard owned and operated the West Highland and East Highland Mills. He was known as the ‘Lumber Baron.’ Although La Center was not considered for a railroad station, a significant portion of the ties for railroad construction in the Northwest were provided by La Center sawmills. In the 1920s, the Gales Creek and Wilson River Railroad in Washington County, Oregon had a station there named Aagard after Olaf Aagard. The name of the station later was changed to Glenwood to match the post office.
The home was used by the Aagaards as a farm and for entertaining guests. The structure is well built, most likely consisting of tight-grained and thick lumber. It also has a large galley kitchen. Other notable features include ten-inch high baseboards and high ceilings. Twelve-foot high parlor room ceilings adds to the architectural character, but also help keep the room cool on hot days by allowing the rising of hot air.
The present owners are Marsha and Lloyd Lytton. They bought the home on the 20.4 acre ranch in 2012. The owners are offering the house free to someone that can relocate the building from the Clark County address at 4517 NE 379th St to another site. They will also consider allowing someone to dismantle the structure for salvage.
The Lyttons are an older couple. This is one of the reasons they never lived in the house. The roughly 2,700-square-foot house is more space than the Lyttons require and all the bedrooms are above the first floor. The large structure is also higher in property taxes than their planned replacement, a manufactured home. Since moving to the property in 2014, they’ve been living in the dairy barn. The Lytton’s goal is to turn their property into a working farm. Currently, they have 20 chickens, five horses, three cats, two dogs, two goats, and one guinea pig.
The Lyttons contacted the La Center Historical Museum about acquiring the house, but the cost of moving it was too expensive and the museum did not have a relocation site. There was also an open house on September 29th for prospective movers of the house to view the building.
The Lyttons are hoping to get the existing house relocated by the end of October or November 2017. The main criteria for the prospective new owner is showing evidence that you can move the house without damage. Disassembling before moving is one suggested method for the easiest relocation. The basement is not to be relocated with the other parts. Furthermore, the structure will not fit through the front gate or down the gravel driveway that is sandwiched between trees and lamp posts. The house will have to be moved by another path through a field on the property. Interested parties should call to arrange a time to view the home. If someone does not move the house, it could be demolished or donated to the fire department for burn training.
CONTACT INFO
Marsha Lytton
360-600-4186
Jennifer Mortensen
Preservation Services Coordinator
The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation
206-624-9449
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