Who We Are

Stewardship of the Overlook House is provided by the volunteers of Friends of the Overlook House through a special agreement with the City of Portland’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement / North Portland Neighborhood Services and Parks and Recreation. All Rental funds are used to maintain and restore this wonderful home and grounds.

Our Mission:
The Friends of the Overlook House protects, promotes, and administers the historical Overlook House as a community center for the benefit of the neighborhood. The Friends sponsor cultural, educational, and social activities and provide space to honor life’s milestones.

History Of the Overlook House

The Overlook House was built in 1928 by Herman Case and Elvira S. Raven. The land was purchased from the Overlook Land Company with the stipulation that no building be constructed "nearer to the front line of any street than 20 feet nor erect any building on said premises the first cost of which shall be less than $2,000."

The home consists of two full floors, attached garage (now a multipurpose room), and basement. The main floor consists of 1468 square feet (now 2000 square feet) with a living room, sunroom, office, dining area, and kitchen. The basement and upper floor have the same square footage and the garage has 462 square feet of space. All the woodwork and trim is in the original finish. The only structural change was the removal of a wall between two bedrooms upstairs. This was done to create a large classroom area.

The Raven's and their House

The Raven's were the owners of the Raven Creamery, which was originally located downtown around Southwest 4th and Yamhill Streets. Their milk, cream, and butter were a staple in many Portland homes of the period. The Ravens were civic minded and encouraged the use of their home by neighborhood groups, most notably the Overlook Women’s Club, a charitable group. When Mr. Raven passed away, Mrs. Raven sold the house to the City of Portland for the sum of $1.00. This was for tax purposes and took place on January 2, 1951. The City designated the building a community center and placed it under Portland Parks and Recreation.

Mrs. Raven was an avid gardener and the grounds were extensively cultivated while she was in residence. A large greenhouse and fishpond that were located in the backyard were removed in (the late 1950’s --- 1970?) due to excessive vandalism. The greenhouse was attached to the garage and can be seen in the picture to the left along with H.C. and Elvira Raven’s nephew Harold Scritsmier, his wife Patricia and their twin daughters Jean and Jane in their Easter best.

Children’s Parade Participants on Overlook Boulevard ­ June 1912

This yearly event was sponsored by the Overlook Women’s Club with approximately 75 to 125 children participating each year. Children dressed in their Sunday best, decorated their wagons and brought their favorite toys for everyone to see. Mrs. Raven often served cake and ice cream to the children at their home following the event.

The Christian Nathan Scritsmier Family

Florence Elvira Scritsmier Raven and her family (Circa 1900) in the family home located at 3786 N Melrose Drive. Elvira, as she was known to her family and friends, is in the bottom row at the far right. Her parents, Christian Nathan Scritsmier and Bertha Spies Scritsmier are in the center of the middle row. Elvira was born in Auburn, Wisconsin on February 1, 1880, married Herman Case Raven on February 1, 1908, and passed on January 28, 1969.

A Building , A Vision, A Community

Elvira Raven understood the power and promise of volunteer neighborhood action. She understood that neighborhoods become special places when neighbors know each other and find common ground working together. In 1951, after years of opening her house to a multitude of neighborhood oriented groups and events, Elvira Raven donated her special home and its beautiful grounds to the City of Portland to provide a community center to her beloved neighborhood "Overlook." In the ensuing 50 plus years, Overlook House, as it became known, has been used, loved, and appreciated in many ways by Overlook neighbors and citizens throughout Portland. It has served in turn and simultaneously as a neighborhood child care center, community classroom site, voter precinct site, regular meeting place for the Overlook Neighborhood Association and other community related groups, community retreat site, as well as a prized location for affordable weddings, bar mitzvahs, and other important family celebrations. Much of this activity has been made possible by neighborhood volunteerism.