2123 NE 21st Avenue - Description

The Henry B. Dickson House*
2123 NE 21st Avenue
"A Perfect Type of New England Style Architecture"

Ellis Lawrence, the prominent Portland architect, had originally planned to settle in San Francisco, but the 1906 earthquake changed his mind, and he came to Portland where, along with his old MIT classmate E. B. MacNaughton, he started the architectural firm of MacNaughton, Raymond & Lawrence. Along with many other great Irvington homes, they were responsible for this well-proportioned colonial house, said to cost $7,500 to build in 1909. The home was built for Henry B. Dickson, a teller at Security and Savings Trust Company, a bank that financed many homes in Irvington. At the time of its construction, the Oregonian referred to it as "A perfect type of New England Style architecture", an accolade fitting its roots in the Colonial Revival movement. For still more on this home and Ellis Lawrence's tremendous contribution to architecture in Oregon, see the 2006 Home Tour Lecture: Ovation and Overview, Architects of Irvington pages. In 1997 this home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an especially fine example of the work of Ellis Lawrence.

Dickson was a friend of Ward White, who had Lawrence design the shingled cottage next door to the north. The architect's own home was the next house to north of that, and is credited as being one of the first English Arts& Crafts houses to be built in Oregon.

The current owners moved north from Laurelhurst, and undertook some challenging rehabilitation. Asbestos was removed, the house was rewired, and windows were replaced. Carpet was removed, floors refinished, and the upstairs bathrooms were all re done. One corner of the house had dropped 6 inches. The 1950's kitchen needed and received a major renovation, which included removing a servant stair and enclosing a back porch. Green building materials were used. The homeowners have been rewarded for their efforts with an airy and light filled home, with plenty of space for their four active children. The girls each have a bedroom on the second floor, while the boy claims the third floor as his own domain.

The master bedroom has a lovely fireplace for winter and a large balcony for summer. Throughout the house are lovely original built-in details like window seats and buffets, wainscoting and pocket doors, tiles and bead boards. The multiple gracious porches, as well as the colonnaded side entrance are all original.

Irvington Home Tour Main Page
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* This is the "Historic Name" given to this home when it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.