McMenamins Edgefield – Troutdale, Oregon

Built in 1911 to function as the Multnomah County Poor Farm on 74 sweeping acres in the Columbia River Gorge, Edgefield lay abandoned until purchased and remodeled by Mike and Brian McMenamin. The McMenamin brothers are locally famous for buying up historic Oregon properties and restoring and transforming them into entertainment venues. The McMenamins now operate dozens of properties, many of which offer at least one of the following (but frequently a combination of many) purposes: restaurants, bars, hotels, pools, movie theaters, concert venues, wineries, breweries, whiskey distilleries, spas, golf courses, and more. Edgefield offers most, if not all, of these functions on its premises. At its core is the residential farm house (which at its most crowded, housed 600 people), now converted into a hotel with ten restaurants and bars in the main house, and in various buildings on the property. Each bar or restaurant offers its own mood: The Black Rabbit Restaurant and Bar is the largest dining room onsite, while The Black Rabbit House bar (which occupies what was once a delousing shed) can only hold a small handful of guests. Bars such as The Little Red Shed and The Tea House dot the property. Dead heads can gather at Jerry’s Ice House, while wine aficionados can head into the basement Tasting Room. Edgefield operates its own whiskey distillery onsite and offers craft beers and wines made at other McMenamin properties. A twenty-minute drive from Portland, Edgefield is a popular wedding and events destination.

Stories

The owners of McMenamins’ properties have heard so many ghost stories from employees and guests, they encourage the use of a “ghost log” in their hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Staff and guests are invited to share their paranormal experiences in the log. Edgefield in particular is reported to be haunted by ghosts of the former poor farm residents in the main building. Strange noises, full-blown specters, voices, and taps have been seen, heard, and felt. Guests report camera disturbances on the property and pictures developed are seen to contain unexpected orbs or strange figures. Edgefield’s website features some of these photos.

Information

Address: 2126 SW Halsey Street, Troutdale, OR 97060
Phone: (503) 669-8610
Website: http://www.mcmenamins.com/Edgefield

Tours and Events

Please contact us if you know of any haunted tours or events that include this location. Check the McMenamins Event Calendar for all varieties of scheduled events at all of their venues.

Sources

• Weird Hauntings: True Tales of Ghostly Places
• http://www.mcmenamins.com/blog/2010/10/28/53-A-Blog-About-the-Ghost-Logs
• http://www.hauntedhoneymoon.com/hauntedplaces/edgefield.html