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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 22, 2017)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2017 Lecture delves into the virtuous life of a Victorian woman By REBECCA HERREN The Daily Astorian SEASIDE — Visitors to the Seaside Library had an opportunity to meet a Victo- rian heroine, Georgiana Pit- tock. Pittock championed for the rights of women and chil- dren, became a suffragette and founded Portland’s Rose Soci- ety and Rose Festival. She founded the Ladies Relief Society, joined the Port- land Women’s Union in 1912 as a suffragette, played a key role in building the Martha Washington Home for single women, supported the Boys and Girls Aid Society and the Parry Center for Children. “It’s so good to be back in Seaside after such a long time,” said Pittock — never stepping out of character — as she thanked the Seaside Museum, Seaside Library and guests for coming out to hear her talk. Mrs. Pittock and her chauf- feur, Herman Hawkanson, were the subjects for historical re-enactors Mary and Michael Hutchens during their presen- tation “Georgiana Pittock: Her Last 10 Years, 1908-1918” on Thursday at the library. Pittock adored flow- ers, especially roses. Along with friends, she held back- yard rose shows, which gave the Portland Rose Society its first exposure. She became a founder and the inspira- tion behind Portland’s famous Rose Festival in 1907 with her good friend Harry Lane, a for- mer mayor of Portland and supporter of the Lewis and Clark Exposition. She married Henry Lewis Pittock when she was 15 years old. Henry Pittock, who was a typesetter when Georgiana married him, later became the owner and publisher of The Oregonian for nearly 60 years. He became successful in real estate, banking, railroads, min- ing, lumber mills and the pulp and paper industry. A role in history It all began for Forest Grove actress Mary Hutchens in 2006 when she answered an ad for a Rose Festival his- torical re-enactor. She got the job and thereafter, Hutchens spent months preparing for the role. She researched and mem- orized Georgiana’s life, down to the most insignificant details that make up both the public and the private life of a histori- cal persona. In 2007, “Georgiana” made her first appearance in 89 years at a rose planting and tea party held at her home, the Pittock Mansion. When Mary’s contract Submitted Photo Georgiana Pittock of Port- land around the turn of the 20th century. ended with the Rose Festival after four years, she became independent and, together with her husband, they have continued to share the Pittock story to schoolchildren, resi- dents at assisted living facili- ties, libraries, civic centers and philanthropic organizations — always in full period costume. The Pittocks played a major role in the history of Portland and to the growth of Oregon’s largest city. The Pittock Mansion was built on Portland’s original “lover’s lane” above Burnside. Built in the style of a French Renaissance chateau in 1914, it was a progressive master- piece for its time. Amassed on 16 acres with 44 rooms, it included all the lat- est technology. A central vac- uum system, a telephone and intercom system with inter- coms in every room, refrig- eration, indoor plumbing and electricity. There was a dumb- waiter and a passenger eleva- tor was installed for Georgiana after her stroke. (The elevator is still operable today.) Henry Pittock used Oregon artisans and craftsmen and insisted that all materials used including marble, tenino stone and wood came from the Northwest. The Pittocks were deeply connected in their community and spent much of their time improving the lives of local residents. Family and commu- nity were central to them and they shared their home with some of their children and grandchildren. Generations of Pittocks lived in the mansion up to 1958 when it became too much to endure. Now a museum, the man- sion has become a popular destination for visitors, bird watchers, event planners and gardeners. Though it seems lavish, it is a testament of who the Pittocks were as pil- lars of the community in both business development and philanthropy. Pittock suffered a stroke in 1913, just before the man- sion was completed. Some- time afterwards, she started to read The Oregonian for the first time. She never cared for it before, but started to feel her world getting smaller. Because of the Spanish-American War, there were stories about Ger- man atrocities, propaganda, spies and submarines. “I liked that stuff,” she said. “I know I shouldn’t have, but they opened my mind.” Seaside connection The Hutchens divided their program into two parts. The first story covers the years 1845 to 1907 and includes the wagon trains that brought the Burton family to Oregon; Georgiana’s marriage to Henry Pittock, the formation of the Portland Rose Society; the Lewis and Clark Exposition and the Rose Festival. The Hutchens’ portrayals covered part two of the pro- gram: the last years of Geor- giana’s life, the building of the Pittock Mansion, the evolution of women’s voting rights in Oregon, World War I and her final years suffering from the debilitating effects of a stroke. “In 1905, the Seaside Sig- nal cited that I was here in Sea- side,” said Mrs. Pittock, “and for the next eight summers, I visited Seaside with one of my daughters or with my grand- daughter Georgiana Leadbet- ter as a respite from the city.” She said they traveled by one of the four trains in and out of Seaside, took walks on the Pacific Pier, bought taffy at Pool’s Confectionery (now Phillips Candy) and stayed, not in one of the five hotels in Seaside, but in a local boarding house on Third Street because “I was frugal.” Her daughters always tried to get Mrs. Pittock to try new things like going to the cinema. “I would never attend the cinema in Port- land,” she said, “it would be scandalous. But I’m at the beach,” she said laugh- ing heartedly. The movies were four minutes long and were mostly about new tech- nology. This news peeked Henry Pittock’s interest and soon he, too, attended the cinema in Seaside, arriv- ing by the “daddy train” on weekends. Mary and Michael Hutch- ens visit Seaside as often as possible. But unlike the Pit- tocks who chose to stay in boarding houses, the Hutch- ens own a vacation home in Seaside and on those occa- sions when a respite from their residence in Forest Grove is needed, they take the short drive to the coast. Scammers target businesses with high school sports pitch By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian Scammers supposedly repre- senting a sports media company have been contacting local busi- nesses soliciting advertisements for the Astoria High School Ath- letic Department. The company has been calling local businesses ask- ing if they would like to adver- tise in the high school’s 2017 Fall Sports Poster. If the busi- ness agrees, they then receive an invoice from the company with instructions on how to send payment. The supposed company listed in the flier, Sports Media of Idaho Falls, Idaho, is not accredited and is no longer in business, according to the Better Business Bureau. “When you look at the small print on the invoice, it indicates that the company is not affiliated with any school,” Astoria Dep- uty Police Chief Eric Halverson said. “Of course the header says Astoria High School and looks very official. We encourage peo- ple to be cautious when they receive solicitations like this. A quick follow up with the school will make sure that your money is going where you intended.” Tom Schmidt, owner of Phog Bounders Antique Mall, received a phone call from the scammers recently, initially believing they were legitimate. The scammers somehow knew his store had advertised with the school last year and listed a sim- ilar price, so he agreed. “I’m thinking it’s just a repeat,” Schmidt said. “We had done it before at the school with the band and sports programs.” But the invoice was suspi- cious. Schmidt noticed it did not include a tax identification num- ber and the company listed was from Idaho. Schmidt then called the high school and confirmed the invoice was fake before eventu- ally turning it in to police. Asto- ria High School Athletic Direc- tor Howard Rub said the school has learned of multiple such cases. Anyone receiving a similar phone call can contact the Asto- ria High School Athletic Depart- ment at 503-325-3911, Ext. 317 or by email at hrub@astoria. k12.or.us. Recent scams have affected other businesses in the area as well. In early March, a Colorado resident contacted the Astoria Police Department and reported a call from Rogue Brewery’s listed phone number. Police said it was an ongoing issue. Scammers often have soft- ware that allows them to change their caller identification, Halv- erson said. Because many of the calls come from out of the area or even from another country, it can be difficult for police to track who is making the calls. If a call does happen to come from an outside area, be skepti- cal, Halverson said. “That’s a good indicator they’re not who they say they are,” he said. “Be sure to vet people who ask for personal information.” Calls to private residences supposedly from the IRS often trickle in more often around tax season, Halverson said. The IRS website has information on its website with tips on how to avoid falling victim to such scams. H appy 80 th B irthday F red ! Midge, Fran, Emma & Charlie Preventing falls: Staying healthy and on your feet Join us March 30 at 3:30 p.m. As we age, the risk of falling becomes more serious. Falls can result in a broken hip or other bones. Any injury can lead to disability. Even if someone is not hurt by a fall, the fear of falling again can limit a person’s activities. Be in the know A colonoscopy may be your best option for cancer screening and prevention. Talk to your doctor and learn more about your options online at www.columbiamemorial.org. 3 Facts for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month 1. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Finding it now could save your life. 2. Everyone over the age of 50 should be screened. Ask your doctor if you should be screened sooner. 3. There are several colorectal cancer screening tests, includ- ing affordable, simple, at-home screening options. Call 503-338-4075 now to make an appointment. 2111 Exchange St., Astoria, Oregon • 503-325-4321 www.columbiamemorial.org • A Planetree-Designated Hospital Join Providence experts as they discuss ways you can prevent a fall for yourself or someone you love. The presentation includes a short introduction to tai chi. Registration is requested. This free event is sponsored by the Providence Senior Health Program. Register at Providence.org/classes or call 800-562-8964. Providence Seaside Hospital Education A 725 S. Wahanna Road Seaside, OR 97138
