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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