Vista House Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Vista House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property

Vista House
Location in Oregon Show map of Oregon Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	40700 E Historic Columbia River Highway Corbett, Oregon
Area	3 acres (1.2 ha)
Built	1916–1918
Architect	Edgar M. Lazarus
Architectural style	Art Nouveau Art Deco
NRHP reference No.	74001705
Added to NRHP	November 5, 1974

The Vista House is a special building in Oregon. It's a museum and a place to remember the brave Oregon pioneers. It also serves as a rest stop for people traveling on the Historic Columbia River Highway.

This unique building sits on a high, rocky cliff called Crown Point. It is 733 feet (about 223 meters) above the Columbia River in the Columbia River Gorge. The building has eight sides and is made of stone. It was designed by Edgar M. Lazarus in the Art Nouveau style and finished in 1918.

In 2000, work began to fix up the building. This restoration lasted five years. Vista House is located near Corbett and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also a popular spot to see the aurora borealis, also known as the Northern Lights.

History of Vista House
- Building the Vista House
  - How it was designed
- Restoring the Building
Gallery
See also

History of Vista House

Building the Vista House

Aerial view of Vista House, Crown Point, and Columbia River

The famous Oregon architect Edgar M. Lazarus designed Vista House. When it was being built, some people joked about its high cost, calling it the "$100,000 Outhouse". This was because it had fancy marble inside and shiny brass parts.

The first idea for an observatory here came from Samuel Lancaster. He was an engineer for the Columbia River Highway. Lancaster wanted a place where people could quietly enjoy the amazing views of the Columbia River.

Construction of Vista House started on December 29, 1916. It was completed in 1918 and officially opened on May 5, 1918. Samuel Lancaster also suggested the name "Vista House."

Most of the money for building Vista House came from Multnomah County. John B. Yeon was in charge of the construction.

How it was designed

Lazarus designed Vista House with elements of the Jugendstil style. This was a German version of Art Nouveau, popular in Europe around 1900.

The building is shaped like an eight-sided dome, 44 feet (about 13 meters) wide. It sits on a larger base that is 64 feet (about 20 meters) wide. This base holds restrooms and a gift shop. The domed part is 55 feet (about 17 meters) tall.

Stairs inside lead up to a viewing platform under the dome. The outside of the building is made of gray sandstone, and the roof has green tiles. Inside, there is a lot of marble, even in the restrooms. The dome's inside is lined with bronze. The windows near the top have colorful, simple glass designs.

Restoring the Building

The Vista House interior in 2010

Vista House is a very popular stop for tourists driving along the Historic Columbia River Highway. The building was carefully fixed up and its inside was made to look like it did in 1916. It reopened in 2005 after five years of restoration work.

The roof was completely rebuilt with new tiles and a special waterproof layer. The outside repairs were finished by 2002. Inside, workers fixed and replaced finishes, updated the sewer system, and put in a special heating and cooling system. The restoration also added a lift to make Vista House accessible for people with disabilities.

From the top of Vista House, you can see the cities of Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington to the west. To the east, you can see Beacon Rock on the Washington side of the gorge.

The Oregon Department of Transportation owns Vista House. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 5, 1974. Crown Point, where Vista House stands, was named a National Natural Landmark in 1971. Vista House is a very important part of the Historic Columbia River Highway National Historic Landmark.