B5
THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2021
House: Johnson rescued several
sailors from the rigging of a stranded
Columbia River schooner in 1877
Continued from Page B1
Justin Grafton
A restored common space in the home includes nautical touches that pay homage to its former
owner.
built in 1875: there is no true north. Every
step is a negotiation of original history, prior
renovations and 2021 livability.
Windows proved a particular sticking
point when Windus’ restoration received a
stop-work order due to the vinyl window he
installed in the shower overlooking the river.
Astoria has strict regulations about how win-
dows need to be restored in historic homes.
He says he wasn’t aware of the require-
ments, and had made the modifi cation in an
eff ort to make the home energy effi cient. He
presented an argument about environmental
responsibility to the Astoria Historic Land-
marks Commission last spring.
“When a homeowner starts work without
a permit, the city works with the applicant to
try to come into compliance with the codes,”
Megan Leatherman, the city’s community
development director, said in an email. “In
this instance the owner worked with us to
bring the request to the (Historic Landmarks
Commission) and it was approved by the
commission. I believe a signifi cant compo-
nent of the approval was based on the fact
that it was one window that was not highly
visible from the public right of way.”
Windus noted that Johnson himself
hailed from a Victorian era where build-
ers embraced newness and utility whenever
possible.
As for the home’s expansive history, it’s
still a gradual discovery process. Last spring,
Windus was digging in his backyard dahlia
bed when he uncovered a Civil War button,
likely from Johnson’s own Union uniform.
Records show Johnson sailed on the USS
Tennessee battleship after its capture from
the Confederacy in 1864. Discoveries like
this, as well as the revelation that Johnson
rescued several sailors from the rigging of a
Chance Solem-Pfeifer/For The Astorian
Windus discovered an antique button in the
dirt outside the home that he believes was
given to Capt. Johnson for his service in the
Civil War.
stranded Columbia River schooner in 1877,
only bring Windus closer to the man whose
likeness adorns his mailbox.
“I have an aff ection for him, from what I
know so far,” he said.
While mileage varies as to whether
Airbnb guests care about the home’s his-
tory, Windus did receive particular affi rma-
tion during a 2019 visit from Heidi Fitz-
gerald-West, the granddaughter of Victor
and Anna Albertsen, who owned the home
during the 1960s and 1970s.
“The fi rst thing (Heidi) did when she
came upstairs was hug the wall, ” Windus
laughed. “The quirky parts of the house
are what I like. Nobody would do this now,
because why would you? That’s why I’m a
proponent of people fi xing old houses.”
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Chance Solem-Pfeifer/For The Astorian
Photos of Capt. Johnson are placed in several areas around his former home.
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Justin Grafton
A restored bedroom inside the home built in 1875.
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