A History of the Watts House and Family
William Watts traveled from Missouri across the Oregon Trail in 1852 along with his wife, six children and one nephew. The Donation Land Claim Act was in effect and William and his son Benjamin, received hundreds of acres combined. The claims were side by side running along the East side of the town next to the railroad tracks.
One of William's thirteen children was James Washington Watts. James married Elizabeth Nessley who's family came to Scappoose along the Oregon Trail. Their homestead was inside the Watts land claim along what is now 6th Street. James and Elizabeth had five children one of which was James Grant Watts (called Grant).
James Grant Watts was born in 1864 in the house of his parents on 6th Street. He lived there until early adulthood. Then he met Arizona Rosamund Ewing (called Rose) and was married on September 17, 1890 in Portland Oregon. Grant and Rose's homestead was where the Scappoose Library is now.
The chairs Grant and Newt are sitting on are in the museum today.
Grant's original homestead. Pictured is (left to right) Grant and Rose Watts, Mary Watts, Newt Perry, Asa Holaday, Lottie Watts Perry and Mollie V. Combe.
The Watts Family Grows
In 1902 Grant built the beautiful Victorian home (left) for his wife Rose and his family. This is the modern day Watts House.
The Watts Family lived in their home for many years until their deaths in 1956 (Grant) and 1959 (Rose).
This picture of the house was taken in 1915.
Photo of the Watts family taken in 1915.
Left to Right:
Hazel Watts Cooke
Helen Watts Clothier
James Grant Watts
Rose Ewing Watts
James Loring Watts
The Watts House Today
The Watts House today is Scappoose's Pioneer Museum and is dedicated to preserving our heritage.
In its long history (now 122 years old) it was the primary residence of Grant Watts' family until 1969 when James Loring Watts (Grant and Rose's son) sold the house to the City of Scappoose for $20,000. The agreement stated the home would eventually become a museum. However, it first served as a boarding house for teachers, and from 1974 through 1997 as Scappoose City Hall.
In 1976 the Watts House was placed on the National Historic Register where it remains today.
1997 the new fire station was built which would also house City Hall. Once the City moved out the promise made to Grant Loring Watts was realized and the house started it's path to becoming a museum.
The first part of the museum to be completed was the basement of the home. It is dedicated to the Children's Museum where they can see what an 1888 mercantile looked like complete with cans of goods on the shelf, the original money order stand, the cash register as well as shelves stocked with merchandise that would have been available to customers back in days of the Watts and Price General Merchandise store.
Inside the House
The main floor has been restored and today replicates what the Victorian home would have looked like in the early years. In recent years, we’ve been adding to our improvements and collections in the main living areas (first and second floors), while preserving what was in place. Recently, we’ve completed our renovation of the basement which houses abundant historical artifacts from our community, state and region.
