Back when Portland was becoming increasingly populated thanks to the Lewis and Clark Exposition in 1905, investors vied for people to pick their neighborhood to buy a plot and build a house. If it was profitability they were after, those homeowners might debate between joining the "gold rush" on Mount Tabor, or the manufacturing hub of St. Johns. For those, however, that just wanted to have fun, there was Council Crest, billed as the cheaper alternative to Portland Heights, and with its very own amusement park on "top of the town."

Just two years younger than Oaks Park, Council Crest opened in 1907 and was called the Dreamland of the Northwest, probably for its high elevation of "1,200 feet above the city," and excellent views of Portland and five mountain peaks. With attractions designed by Coney Island's contractor, it boasted a dance hall, Ferris wheel, roller coaster, and water log ride. Such was the conceit of the Portland Railway Light and Power Company, whose goal was to attract interest in its new streetcar line. By 1929, the park had to close during the Great Depression, but not before a fair number of houses took the bait and popped up around it, like this charming 1924 cottage just a block away.

In a quiet pocket at the end of SW Gaston Avenue, the charm starts with the quaint facade, with its off-center, front-facing gable articulated by a chimney, leaded glass and circular windows, and arched front door. Inside, such sweet original details are still found in the living room, with its plastered walls, arched built-ins, and leaded glass doors leading to a windowed sunroom, currently set up as an office.

On the same floor, find a newer kitchen with quartz counters and stainless steel appliances complemented by a second arched door on the pantry, as well as a formal dining room and breakfast nook.

The upper floor has the primary bedroom and its stylishly tiled en-suite bath, with both a soaking tub and walk-in shower, the latter revealing a big window looking out over the roof into the trees. There's a smaller room styled as a den here, too, while downstairs are three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a decidedly more modern layout, including an ADU that currently draws an income of $2,800 a month.

Around back, two extensive decks and a hot tub surrounded by trees make for a serene spot for down time. And if it's those "top of the town" views you're after, head to the former amusement park, which, although the roller coaster was torn down in 1941, later became a city park.

Listing Fast Facts 

• Address: 3045 SW Gaston Ave, Portland, OR 97239
• Size: 3,173 square feet/4 bedroom/4 bath 
• List Date: 8/21/2025 
• List Price: $950,000
• Listing Agent: Craig Reger and Isabella Catania, Reger Homes, LLC

Melissa Dalton is a freelance writer who has focused on Pacific Northwest design and lifestyle since 2008. 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].