QueenAnne
Waiting for a buyer to recapture
the painted lady’s charm
ON THE HILL
T
he Queen Anne-style house at 690 17th St. in Astoria is
so well preserved that it seems the original owners, Mar-
tin and Lilli Foard, should be there to welcome visitors.
Only two families have owned the house, built in 1892.
The Foards and their three daughters – all Astoria
Regatta princesses – lived in the house until 1910, when
they moved to Washington.
The house then was bought by B.F. Stone, whose family
lived there until 1982. During a visit to Astoria, Melissa
Yowell, great-grandaughter of Martin and Lilli Foard,
learned that the house was for sale, and she bought it. She
continued to preserve the house; it was put on the National
Historic Register and was featured in the book, “America’s
Painted Ladies.”
Yowell passed away last January.
Active in the historical preservation of Astoria, Yowell
also paid careful attention to her own house, said Realtor
Debra Bowe, of Windermere/Pacifi c Land Company.
“She had every shingle, every newel post, every architec-
tural detail inspected to see whether it needed work to
keep it in a healthy condition,” Bowe said.
The 3,512-square-foot, four-bedroom Foard House is
offered for $324,990. It is ready for a buyer who wants to
add a few touches to recapture the painted lady’s
original charm.
Businessman and Astoria civic leader Martin Foard
had the house built on a hill a few blocks from downtown
Astoria to capitalize on Columbia River views from nearly
every room in the house, as well as the back and front
porches. Local historic preservationist John Goodenberger
has called the house “one of the best examples of high-style
Queen Anne in the city.”
The original carved woodwork around the doors remains
in good condition, as well as the ornate Lincrusta-Walton
wainscoting in the foyer and dining room. A graceful,
Story by Nancy McCarthy | Photos by Steve Haning
carved staircase, with window seats at the foot and at the
landing, leads to the bedrooms upstairs.
An inlaid fl oor greets guests in the formal parlor, where
business associates and prominent families were once
received. A cozy corner bay window provides enough
room for a table and chairs – perfect for reading a book,
engaging in a friendly conversation or playing board games
while looking out toward the river.
Adjacent to the parlor is the library, where the carved
wood fi replace could once again become a center of
warmth on chilly days.
The original transom windows, which helped to regulate
air fl ow in the house, remain over the library and dining
room doorways. Electrical and forced air heating systems
have been updated, and the house is served by the city’s
sewer system.
Just like any century-old home, it has its quirks – the
small butler’s pantry just off the formal dining room, for
instance, also acts as a half-bath.
While the kitchen has been updated with stainless steel
appliances – including a gas stove, microwave and dish-
washer – it still blends in with the home’s ambiance.
A back door leads to a porch that wraps nearly half-way
around the house and offers more river views. Another fun
feature saved from the past is the original
“cold closet,” a box framed in wood with
a wire mesh screen, where food that
needed to stay cool was stored.
The “closet” is attached near the back
door on the porch.
Up the staircase, which could easily
be made elegant again, there are four
bedrooms and two baths. One bedroom
has a seat under a large window look-
ing toward the river; another bedroom
includes a small balcony, also with a river view.
A third bedroom contains space where a sink – or a wash-
er and dryer – might go. The fourth bedroom, which may
have been the “trunk room” where the women in the house
stored their seasonal clothes, could be a nursery or an offi ce.
Two full bathrooms – one with a walk-in shower and another
with a claw foot tub – are down the hall.
Many of the doors have the original hardware, including
the built-in linen closet and drawers in the upstairs hallway.
The home also has an unfi nished basement and attic.
People who love historic homes would appreciate the Foard
House, Bowe said.
Although the house is on the National Register, the home’s
owners would not receive tax benefi ts or be required to open
it to the public, she said.
Historic homes “do take a lot of care, but this home would
be good for someone who understands old houses and who
understands the architecture,” Bowe added.