ENTRY
The House was built in 1885 by Daniel Knight Warren, the namesake for the town of Warrenton. He’s pictured on the wall surrounded by his wife and children. One descendent, DK Warren’s great grandson, lives to the north in his new home on a several acre farm.
The DK Warren House was unoccupied for about 20 years during the 70s and 80s. It was discovered by a southern California couple, Allan and Alice Meyers. These folks spent the 1990s renovating the House during their retirement. The current owner purchased the House from Alice Meyers in 2002.
During the 20 years the house was vacant, kids and migrants would enter the house. Amazingly they did no damage. The Cranberry Glass transom is original to the house.
The entry retains a vestige of the original house in the brown wall paper boarder that runs around the top of the wall. This crinkled paper looks a little rough in places but has survived over 120 years.
Additional photos in the entry depict life in the house for DK Warren and his family. One photo shows a windmill and water tank on the south side of the house. The house surely had early indoor plumbing.
PARLOR
Throughout the house you will see strong wood grain on doors and trim. It’s actually a painted on detail that was popular in the late 1800s, early 1900s. This ceiling is one of three original fresco ceilings in the house. We’ve heard that these are the oldest fresco ceilings in any house in Oregon. The form that looks like wood molding on the ceiling is actually plastered. During construction the ceiling is painted while the plaster is still wet.
The arched pocket doors between the parlor, living and dinning room are functional.
LIVING ROOM
The ceiling in this room has an arts-and-letters theme. In the illustration over the fireplace the scroll actually contains the names of the two artists that were commissioned to do restoration work on the ceiling for the Meyers.
The fireplace is a simulated coal firebox imported from England by the Meyers to replace the coal firebox from the original fireplace. It’s easy to use and looks very authentic.
DINING ROOM
Another original fresco ceiling, depicting nautical and other themes.
There is a small pass-through window to the kitchen.
KITCHEN
This room has been renovated with normal convenience appliances. Originally there would have been a wood cook stove in the kitchen that has been replaced by this 1930s Magic Chef gas range. The range has 6 burners, two ovens, a broiler, and a warming oven. Everything works and was checked out by the gas company in 2002. The inspector mentioned that it is the best example of a Magic Chef that he’d ever seen.
The cabinets were built by Alan Meyers. The dishwasher is camouflaged behind the wood door.
The functional wood stove vents into the original chimney which was updated with a liner to prevent chimney fires.
UTILITY ROOM
This room was undoubtedly a pantry in the floor plan. The window that passes into the adjacent bathroom was probably used provide hot water for the bath.
1ST FLOOR BATHROOM
An indoor bathroom was probably unusual for the late 1800s. The water tank just outside would have been the source for water in this room.
The main feature of this room is the copper bath tub. It’s fully functional. This tub had been removed from the house at one time but was discovered in the garage of the neighboring Warren house and returned in the 1990s. The commode is a replica but the white out building, we call it the milk house, holds what appears to be the original. The lavatory and faucets are brass and need periodic polishing. The faucets are original and one was recently rebuilt by Hippo Hardware in Portland.
The window opening over the tub was apparently used to move hot water from the pantry to the tub.
The tile floor was part of the restoration done by the Meyers.
BACK STAIRS
The stairway is lined with early photos of the Warrenton vicinity and the Warren House in earlier times.
2ND FLOOR BATHROOM
Originally this bathroom was a bedroom. The Meyers converted it to this comfortable bath suite.
PINK BEDROOM
This room has the additional alcove which could have been a dressing area or a children’s nursery. We’ve been told by the Warren family that there was a mural painted over the archway between the alcove and bedroom. It was painted over by the second wife of one of the Warren decedents while other family members were away. We were also told this room contains signatures of DK Warren and his children, covered over with wallpaper, on the south wall.
OFFICE BEDROOM
This room was DK Warren’s home office. It was also used by the Meyers as an office until the present owners converted it into an additional bedroom. This room is trimmed in original Eastlake molding and corner cabinet was used by DK.
GREEN BEDROOM
An unusual feature of this room is the faux grain dog image painted on the closet door. There is a spectacular view of Saddle Mountain from this room.
MASTER BEDROOM
The ceiling in this bedroom was not restorable so the Meyers gave the artists liberty to choose a design. The clouds and celestial inserts are the result. The relief characters in each corner are from the original ceiling. Many ideas have been presented as to their meaning but no one knows for sure.
This bedroom also has an alcove for either dressing or children.
COFFIN CORNER near top of front stairs
In the late 1800s most people died in their own homes, in their own beds. In these Victorian houses this created a challenge of getting a coffin around corners and down stairs in the horizontal position to the parlor where the wake would be held. This problem was solved with the “coffin corner.” Now the pallbearers could make this turn by inserting one end of the casket into the coffin corner. When this niche was not used for its intended purpose it held a decorative vase. This original vase was returned to the coffin corner by the Warren family.
3RD FLOOR
This attic area remained unfinished until the Meyers’ restoration. It was then finished as a modern family room.
3RD FLOOR BATHROOM
This 3rd bathroom is practical with many guests in the house.
FAMILY ROOM
The cabinetry around the wet bar was designed and built by Meyers. It includes a functional bar sink and refrigerator which was installed in 2002.
3RD FLOOR BEDROOM
The skylight in this 5th bedroom provides natural light and access to the flat roof above.
OTHER
Most of the moldings, doors, fresco ceilings, fixtures, knobs & hinges, windows, and cooper tub are original to the house. Replacements have been made when necessary but this home is rare example of mostly original interior and exterior architectural features.
The milk barn, north of the house, was used before the home was built and has original teak bead board in the upstairs. It was used to house the Chinese laborers that built the dikes around the town of Warrenton.
