The illuminated William D. Fenton House at sunset

A Portland landmark

The Judge William D.
Fenton House

626 SE 16th Avenue · Portland, Oregon

▶ Watch the film Enter the house ↓
4 bedrooms2.5 bathsNearly 5,000 sq. ft.Nearly ¼ acre

The residence

Grand in history.
Gracious in daily life.

Built between 1892 and 1894, the Fenton House pairs landmark Victorian character with the scale and function of a substantial modern home.

Soaring 11-foot ceilings, tall windows, stained glass and richly detailed millwork give the main level a remarkable sense of light and scale. Formal rooms invite gathering, while flexible upper levels leave room for work, play, guests and creative pursuits.

More than 130 years after it was built, this is still a place meant to be lived in, shared and cared for.

Wraparound veranda and ornate entry of the Fenton House

Queen Anne form. Eastlake intricacy. An unforgettable arrival.

The story

A house with a history worth telling.

Built for attorney and civic leader William David Fenton, the residence arrived at a turning point for Portland. The newly consolidated city was electrifying, expanding and imagining its future.

Fenton crossed the Oregon Trail as a child, entered the bar in 1875, served in the Oregon Legislature and later became general counsel in Oregon for the Southern Pacific Railroad. In 1898, he joined nine other community leaders in founding the Oregon Historical Society.

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Historic plaque for the William D. Fenton House
Original woodwork, hand-cut ornament, stained glass and rooms that have held Portland lives for generations.

Portland · 1892–1894

While the house
was being built

1892

A modern city emerges

Portland approves a sweeping street-renaming plan. Portland General Electric is organized and the Bull Run watershed gains federal protection.

1893

Water and electric travel

Work begins on Portland’s gravity-fed Bull Run water system. An electric interurban begins linking Oregon City and Portland.

1893

A world’s fair looks forward

Chicago’s World’s Columbian Exposition draws millions and its new Ferris Wheel becomes a symbol of modern engineering.

1894

The Willamette rises

A historic flood submerges downtown streets. Portlanders travel by canoe, lift goods above the water and place fire engines on barges.

1894

A petition in boots

More than 500 Oregonians join Portland’s Coxey’s Army movement, calling for public works jobs during a national depression.

1894

A wider world in motion

New York opens its first Kinetoscope parlor and London opens Tower Bridge, near contemporaries of the Fenton House.

Explore the house

Rooms with presence.
Spaces for real life.

Formal living room with fireplace and tall windows
Gathering roomsMade for conversation
Formal dining room with historic millwork
Dining roomFormal, never fussy
Bright parlor in the Fenton House
ParlorLight across every detail
Updated kitchen with wood island and blue accents
The kitchenA bright counterpoint
Primary bedroom with fireplace
Primary bedroomRoom to exhale
Vintage-inspired bathroom
Private spacesConsidered, not precious
Eastlake-influenced architectural details

Architectural character

Craftsmanship that rewards attention.

  • AsymmetryBays, projections, porches and a dynamic roofline
  • OrnamentPierced gable work and exceptionally intricate cut-work
  • MaterialVaried siding, shingles, stained glass, plasterwork and wood
  • ScaleSoaring 11-foot ceilings give the main level unusual volume and light

Historic character, modern care

Preserved with purpose.
Updated for life today.

The most successful updates in an old house do not erase its age. They make it easier to keep living in and caring for the home.

01

Electrical

A modern 200-amp breaker panel joins extensive electrical updates, creating room for modern appliances and electronics.

02

Comfort

Two central heating systems and central air conditioning, installed between 2020 and 2023, provide the comfort needed to make this home a true sanctuary.

03

Plumbing

Visible supply lines are PEX and copper, with the majority of original galvanized supply lines replaced for efficiency and safety.

04

Craft

Kitchen improvements and restoration of vintage construction balance historic charm with modern living.

Inspection observations are dated July 18, 2025. Buyers should review available records and independently verify material facts.

The layout

Four levels of possibility.

Select a level to see the plan in greater detail.

Main level floor plan

Floor plans are for orientation and are not guaranteed. Measurements should be independently verified.

Twilight view of the Fenton House

The listing film

Experience the
Fenton House

▶ Watch the 3-minute film
Aerial view of the Fenton House and inner Southeast Portland

Inner Southeast Portland

The city, just beyond
the front door.

In Buckman, neighborhood life arrives in layers: food carts and coffeehouses, immersive art, music, independent shops, leafy residential streets and the energy of the Central Eastside.

See it for yourself

Some houses can be understood from their specifications.
This one deserves to be experienced.

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Howard Andrews, Oregon real estate broker

For owners of distinctive homes

Every home has a history.
Let me help you tell its story.

A remarkable listing needs more than specifications. It needs thoughtful preparation, photography that rewards attention, context that gives the details meaning and a presentation people remember.

Howard Andrews

Oregon Real Estate Broker · License 201204292

Text / Call 503-682-0235howard@keepingrealestatereal.com
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