St. Johns was once an independent city, but merged with Portland in 1915. At that time, the St. Johns Review had a regular feature that flanked the flag of every issue, a box on either side of the newspaper’s name that contained a quick-hit list extolling the district’s virtues. It was titled “St. Johns is Calling You,” and gave reasons to move there. And there were many: a fine and modern brick city hall, an ideal and healthful climate, and all the plants, factories, and mills that then made the area a desirable manufacturing center.

The year before, in 1914, the people who built this Craftsman house on what was then called Bristol Street (it became North Bristol Avenue in Portland's Great Renumbering of 1931) had answered the newspaper’s call. Close to Pier Park, the home still sits comfortably on its original lot, which clocks in at almost 10,000 square feet. It has a deep front porch that leads into a spacious living room, complete with freestanding stove in the corner. Through a multipaned glass door, find a delightful sunroom lined with casement windows. The nearby kitchen even has its original wood cabinetry, with glass fronts and exposed hinges, climbing to meet the high ceilings.

The main floor has a bedroom and bathroom, while upstairs there are two bedrooms, a hall bath, and a small office, all arranged around a center hall so large that it doubles as a family room. It’s nice to see so much original historic detail intact throughout, from the built-ins to the chunky baseboards, five-panel doors, and fir floors. Craftsmans like this could be said to be the backbone of the city’s historic housing stock, so what makes this particular listing particularly unique?

That would be the somewhat hidden attached .45-acre lot behind the house, located at the center of the city block and surrounded by neighbors on all sides. It’s a bit of a mystery how the land was never developed—Sanborn maps show it likely belonged to a neighbor on Smith Street as of 1924—and it must have passed hands over time as the houses filled in around it.

A hundred years ago, the St. Johns Review boasted about the city’s woolen mills and shipbuilding yards, but this unique property offers a more modern type of industry. For starters, there’s the oversize shop next door to the house, with 813 square feet, double-height ceilings in spots, and roughed-in plumbing and architectural plans should the next owner want to turn it into an ADU. There are chicken and alpaca enclosures, a cob-style pizza oven, and a winding path to the two Airstreams, one fixed up pretty nicely with sleep and work accommodations. Not to mention, all that rare empty land, perfect for someone who’s hankering to start a serious garden, or just needs some space to tinker.

Listing Fast Facts 

• Address: 9233 N Bristol Ave, Portland, OR 97203
• Size: 2,655 square feet/3 bedroom/2 bath 
• List Date: 10/6/2023 
• List Price: $799,900
• Listing Agent: Kim Parmon, Living Room Realty

Melissa Dalton is a freelance writer who has focused on Pacific Northwest design and lifestyle since 2008. She is based in Portland, Oregon. Contact Dalton here. 

Editor’s Note: Portland Monthly’s “Property Watch” column takes a weekly look at an interesting home in Portland’s real estate market (with periodic ventures to the burbs and points beyond, for good measure). Got a home you think would work for this column? Get in touch at [email protected].