The McLoughlin house is easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. It blends into the environment, surrounded by homes from the same period. Situated on the bluffs atop Singer Hill, along the McLoughlin Promenade, the site has most duties — including cleaning, running the gift shop and giving tours — performed by volunteers with the National Park Service.
“We get about 60 people per weekend, depending on if we do an open house or not. If we do an open house, oh boy, we could get to maybe over 100,” said Bonnie Wolf, tour guide, official house cleaner, gift shop operator, National Park Service volunteer and McLoughlin Memorial Association vice president. “One time we had 110 people come through here at an open house. We've had people from Germany, we've had people from Scotland. We've had people from all over the world.”
From outside, McLoughlin House looks to be sturdy and well kept. It is inside, however, where, 115 years after the home’s relocation, it begins to show a desperate need for rehabilitation. The interior of the house, a sort of museum to John McLoughlin, is musty with damp age. The lighting is poor and the rooms dark. The walls are aged and faded, or have bubbled and peeling wallpaper.
The holdup on rehabilitation: a permit that has to be redone. They had a permit prior to COVID-19. It expired. Now they have to renegotiate the permit.
“When it does happen, they're going to shut this place down for two years," said Wolf, who has volunteered at McLaughlin House for 10 years. “They're going to redo the foundation and then they're going to put in new carpet, new wallpaper and new curtains.”
Despite McLoughlin House being in need of some repair, the site offers a glimpse into Oregon’s history through the volunteers who keep the place running by giving tours and telling the history — like how the house got up Singer Hill. The house itself — as well as Barclay House, which occupies the same property — is possibly the least interesting bit for visitors on any of the Fridays or Saturdays during which the buildings are open to the general public.
Picture a giant fishing reel, laid on its side and secured in place in the middle of a street. A horse walks around the reel, known as a capstan winch, pulling the two-story McLoughlin House 8 inches up a hill with each rotation. Every 30 feet, workers restring the giant winch that allows a single horse to pull the massive roofless structure up a winding road, hanging over the edge of the cliff, just inches at a time. That was the scene in 1909 as the home of John McLoughlin was moved to its current location on the bluffs of Singer Hill, overlooking the city, in the McLoughlin Conservation District.
“The horse would go get hay break, and then he'd go back to work again. They probably had more than one horse, but then they switched them out,” said Wolf. “They had all the men go down to the river, get as much rock and sand as they could, and they weighted about a third of the house down. They put it over the cliff to get past that narrow spot in the road.”
McLoughlin Memorial Association President Richard Matthews, a volunteer of 15 years, enjoys sharing McLoughlin’s history. McLoughlin and his wife were known for their service to community members and land donations.
“Sharing the history and the story of Dr. McLoughlin, and Dr. Barclay, with others — I think it's extremely important that the people today understand that there's more than just going out there and doing, doing, doing whatever you want. How about sacrificing yourself and going out there and doing something for somebody else?” Matthews said. “I think that's why his whole story is so important. How many examples do we have today of somebody who's out there sacrificing everything they have to do the right thing?”
Former Oregon City Mayor Doug Neeley shows up every Friday and Saturday, schedule permitting, and inhabits the persona of Dr. John McLoughlin. He’s been doing this for over 15 years.
“I like it when there are all kids about 8 or 9 or 10, because I can kind of incorporate them in the story,” Neeley said. “How they would have had to walk the 2,000 miles from Independence, Missouri to get here because the wagons were so overloaded, they couldn't stand the additional weight of kids.
“I enjoy it a lot. We get diverse people. Some people from overseas come in. A few people from out of state here as well today — and every Friday, Saturday.”
McLoughlin House, besides being open two days a week for the general public, also offers free tours for students grades three through high school on Wednesdays and Fridays. They also offer transportation grants to public schools through the National Park Service — as long as the curriculum pertains to the McLoughlin site.
Volunteers keep the site alive; without them, the local history might fall into obscurity.
“We're like a lot of other nonprofits in Oregon,” Matthews said. “We're starting to age and we're losing (people). We lost two of our trustees this year, so we're two short right now.
“We're looking for young blood, somebody that can come in and help out, because it's important that we keep the organization going. I mean, we've got a 115-year legacy in Oregon City.”
To volunteer, schedule a field trip, become a member or just get more information, email mclaughlinmemorial@gmail.com.
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