OCTOBER 13, 2016 // 5
Books, gardening, hiking, hobbies,
recreation, personalities, travel & more
What: Home & Chef Tour
On the tour:
When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15
Cost: $30 ($25 tax deductible)
The Beck home
1661 Grand Ave.
Food by Fort George Brewery
Tickets available at: Holly McHone Jewelers, 1150 Commercial
St.; Columbia Bank in Astoria, Warrenton and Seaside; also avail-
able at the tour locations in Astoria
The Brown home
808 Ninth St.
Food by Bridgewater Bistro
Sponsored by: Assistance League of the Columbia Paciic
The Cronin home
726 Seventh St.
Food by Fulio’s Pastaria, Tuscan
Steakhouse & Delicatessen
The Jones home
455 45th St.
Food by Seaside’s Beach Burrito
The Ross home
690 Seventh St.
Food by Baked Alaska
PHOTOS BY DANNY MILLER
An upstairs bedroom in Bonnie and Jack Ross’s historic Foard home that will be fea-
tured on Assistance League of the Columbia Paciic’s annual Home & Chef Tour.
Continued from Pg. 4
built by Astorian businessman Martin
Foard in 1892. Until it was sold last year,
the home had had only two owners.
The original carved woodwork around
the doors, an elegant staircase and the
ornate Lincrusta-Walton wainscoting in
the foyer and dining room — popular in
the late 19th century — remain in good
condition.
Astoria’s prominent families once
gathered in the living room, where the
Columbia River can be viewed from the
home’s hilltop location.
When Jack and Bonnie Ross bought
the home last December, the irst thing
they discovered were pocket doors hidden
inside the door frames between two of the
rooms.
“They had been enclosed for at least
50 years,” said Bonnie Ross. “They were
just beautiful.”
The Rosses, who are enthusiastic
historic preservationists, have already
Constructed in 1892, the historic Foard home’s
parlor features a large stained-glass bay window,
and all the irst-loor rooms have 11-foot ceilings.
replaced a mantel over the library’s
ireplace, reinished the mahagony inlaid
loors and have begun restoring the but-
ler’s pantry.
But the home’s original door knobs,
bathroom ixtures and windows are still in
good shape, Bonnie Ross said.
“The house is pretty exceptional, pret-
ty original ... We feel very blessed to be
here,” she added.
Other homes on the tour are:
• The Cronin home: Built in 1915 by
native Finn Dr. Toivo Forsstrom, who
immigrated to Astoria via Shanghai on
the SS Dakota in 1905, the 5,000-square-
foot house features a rock creek ireplace,
Craftsman-style woodwork, large win-
dows with river views and a secret door to
a hidden room. The downstairs bathroom
is wallpapered with hundreds of Astoria
canning labels.
• The Brown-Stichman home: Restored
by Mark Brown and Dennis Stichman,
the home, built between 1904 and 1908,
includes a hemlock loor throughout
the second loor and hall, built-ins with
antique leaded-glass doors and a breath-
taking view of the Columbia from nearly
every room.
• The Beck home: Listed in the
National Record of Historic Places, the
4,000-square-foot home was built in 1886
and remains in its original state; only the
kitchen has been remodeled.
• The Jones home: From the time it
was built in 1895 until 2000, this home
remained in the McGregor family. The
5,500-square-foot house sits on one acre
above the Alderbrook lagoon.
• Vintage Hardware sneak preview:
Originally occupied by the Maki Supply
Company in 1946, the building at 1162
Marine Drive also contained agricultural
machinery sales, auto repair, and feed and
seed businesses.
The Clatsop County chapter of As-
sistance League works with an $80,000
annual budget to provide children with
clothing. Through its main program, Op-
eration School Bell, 650 kids in elemen-
Vintage Hardware’s Sneak
Preview
1162 Marine Drive
Food by Astoria Cofeehouse &
Bistro and Carruthers
tary through high school received socks,
shoes, underwear, pants, shirts and coats
last year.
Another 350 high school girls bor-
rowed donated gowns for homecoming
and prom through the league’s Cinderella
Closet. Thirty local children, who entered
the state’s foster care system and weren’t
allow to bring anything from home, were
comforted with duffel bags illed with
clothing, books, a blanket and stuffed
animal, all supplied by the league.
In addition, the league assists kids
whose families can’t afford to pay fees
for school sports or choir.
The generosity of local store owners
who offer deep discounts, as well as
the annual tour, which has grown more
popular over the past nine years, help the
league reach its goals, Davies said.
“We’re so blessed in this small com-
munity,” she added.