Open House at the Emma Austin Bungalow

Please join us for a very special open house. John McCulloch of McCulloch Construction and the McCulloch Foundation is graciously opening the Emma Austin house on Saturday February 1, from 12pm until 4pm.

In 2016, Lake Oswego Preservation Society board member Emogene Waggoner sounded the alarm that a classic Arts & Crafts bungalow, the Emma Austin House, was under threat and its double lot was to be redeveloped. The developer/owner gave the Society a window of time to find a buyer and we were fortunate to connect with John McCulloch. John has saved many noteworthy Portland homes, including the 1911 Markham House in Laurelhurst. 

The Emma Austin house was built in 1910 and is attributed to Portland architect Joseph Jacobberger. It appears in Classic Houses of Portland Oregon by William Hawkins III FAIA, one of the quintessential references for historic architecture in the Portland area. Hawkins writes: “One of the finest Bungalow style houses was designed as a summer house near the Willamette River. The remarkable Emma Austin House has all the characteristics to make it so appealing and timeless. Its rustic materials — shingles and river rock — keep the house in touch with its once-rural surroundings.” The house is not, however, a designated landmark and has no protection against demolition.

Today this beautiful bungalow is renewed. A garage matching the architectural details of the main house was added as well as stone retaining walls that perfectly match the original stonework. The house still sits on almost an acre of forested property and is currently seeking a new owner.

The Lake Oswego Preservation Society is very grateful to John McCulloch for helping us keep this very special house as part of the fabric and character of Lake Oswego.