In the 1880s, William S. Ladd and Simeon Reed purchased several hundred acres of land south and west of Riverview Cemetery, stretching all the way to what is now Lake Oswego, and earmarked it for iron ore development with the Oregon Iron and Steel Company. However, Oregon's “iron dream” ended in 1893. The swath was parceled up and eventually became neighborhoods. But before suburbia truly set in, the stretch of land was a destination for country estates for city aristocrats.

Take this house built in 1895. Perched above the Willamette River, and purportedly designed by famed firm Whidden & Lewis, it’s one of the earliest built in Dunthorpe, for Ladd's son Charles and his wife, Sara. They even gave it a name—as one does—calling it Cedarhurst, and filled the grounds with country gardens, a bowling green, a tennis court, a barn, and stables.

After the Ladds moved out, some equally well-known people took up residence, like Guy W. Talbot, a high-level exec at Pacific Power & Light and namesake for a park in the Gorge, and Mychal Thompson, a Blazers center and Lakers broadcaster. Recently, the property has become known by a more modern means: When designer Kristin Lane bought it in 2021, she built up an Instagram following to watch its ensuing makeover, completed in 2023. Having since moved to Arizona, Lane is now selling Cedarhurst for $5,295,000.

As might be expected, the lot has shrunk over time, though at 1.65 acres it remains expansive by today’s standards. Less expected is how the exterior still looks much the same, from the swooping dormer down to the columns framing the front door. Per a photo in a book of grand Portland houses published in 1911, it used to look even more grand, with its covered porch wrapping the entire front facade.

Lane had a lot of house to work with in the top-to-bottom remodel: 11,876 square feet across three floors and a finished basement, eight bedrooms, and eight bathrooms. Grand proportions abound here, from the front entry hall, with its herringbone floors, to the generous sunroom off the staircase landing, complete with five arched windows that look out on the backyard and a built-in upholstered bench for taking in the view. The kitchen alone is over 300 square feet and has a generous island, custom cabinetry, and Hestan range.

Throughout, Lane aimed to preserve historic details, like the crown molding, box-beam ceilings, and many of the mantels over the manor’s seven fireplaces, while also installing a mix of modern amenities with English countryside flair. There are extensive electrical, plumbing, and lighting updates, but also plaid-covered snugs, whimsical paint and wallpaper, and an upstairs bathroom with a slipper tub tucked under the romantic sloped ceiling, painted paneling covering its walls.

In addition to the primary floors, the newly finished basement is a veritable playground, with a gym, kitchenette, sit-in wine room, and home theater. Meanwhile, the exterior grounds offer up just as much entertainment as the Ladds once enjoyed there, including an in-ground heated pool, covered outdoor lounge with a fireplace, and quintessential English greenhouse. 

Listing Fast Facts 

• Address: 11175 S Riverwood Rd, Portland, OR 97219
• Size: 11,876 square feet/8 bedroom/8 bath 
• List Date: 6/28/2025  
• List Price:  $5,295,000
• Listing Agent: Matthew Tercek and Benson Bui, Real Broker

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].