Circa 1890s Queen Anne Victorian Listed For Sale In Astoria, Oregon

388 3rd St, Astoria, OR 97103

$665,000 | 1890s | 3,101 Sq. Ft. | 3 Beds | 2 Baths

The Queen Anne Victorian at 388 3rd Street in Astoria, Oregon, is the kind of home that seems almost too cinematic to be real. Rising above the city on one of its signature hills, surrounded by the slow, sweeping movement of the Columbia River, this 3,101-square-foot house carries 1890s craftsmanship into the twenty-first century with an ease that feels both surprising and completely natural. Offered for sale at $665,000, and listed through Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s International Realty, it is the kind of property that turns the casual weekend window-shopper into someone suddenly and seriously imagining what it would be like to actually live here. There are homes that are beautiful, homes that are historic, and homes that are practical. Rarely does one manage all three. This one does.

Approaching the home, the first impression is immediate: this is a Queen Anne Victorian that has not been stripped of its soul. The original craftsmanship, the carefully chosen details, the proportions that defined high-quality real estate in the 1890s, all remain intact. The exterior retains its timeless lines and gentle ornamentation without ever crossing into excess. The hill upon which the home sits lends it a quiet authority, and yet despite its elevated perch, it is only a few blocks from Astoria’s downtown. That combination — peaceful setting, walkable proximity, river views — is one of the many reasons why this house stands out among other properties for sale in the area.

Stepping inside, the high ceilings announce themselves before anything else. It is the sort of vertical space that makes a home feel gracious without trying, and the generous ceiling height continues through every room on the main level. Then come the windows: tall, elegant, and positioned to catch every angle of daylight the Pacific Northwest can offer. On clear days, the light is soft and golden; on foggy mornings, the glow feels serene and almost theatrical; on rainy afternoons, the diffused light makes the restored wood floors look impossibly warm. These floors, original to the home, stretch through the primary living spaces and tell their own quiet story of the building’s 1893 origins.

Throughout the home, the hardware and trimwork remain some of the most compelling features. There are vintage doorknobs that feel satisfyingly weighty in the hand, carved casings that frame the windows and doorways like decorative parentheses, and restored pocket doors that slide smoothly into the walls the way they were intended more than a century ago. The pocket doors are particularly beautiful — not just visually, but in how they allow the rooms to shift from open, flowing spaces to more intimate and private areas depending on mood and occasion. Very few Victorian homes have preserved their pocket doors so meticulously, making them an especially rare detail for any buyer searching the real estate market for a period home with original features intact.

The main floor bathroom is pure Victorian comfort. A clawfoot tub sits as its centerpiece, a reminder of a time when bathing was something done slowly and without multitasking. The fixtures complement the era without feeling like a museum display; instead, they strike that difficult balance between historical charm and modern usability. Moving upstairs, the tone shifts just slightly — not abandoning the home’s history, but offering a taste of modern luxury. Here, the marble walk-in shower becomes the focal point, filling the upper bathroom with a sense of contemporary refinement. The room feels bright and fresh, proving that updates can be seamlessly integrated into a historic home without compromising its personality.

One of the most enchanting features of the house is the upper-floor balcony overlooking the Columbia River. It is not a large balcony, but it is positioned so perfectly that size becomes irrelevant. This is a place for slow breakfasts, quiet reading, and long conversations that stretch into the evening. Watching the ships and fishing boats move across the water gives the balcony a sense of constant, gentle motion. The river becomes part of the daily experience, visible from multiple rooms but especially magical from this small, romantic perch. In a way, this balcony is the home’s most poetic gesture, inviting anyone who lives here to look outward, pause, and breathe.

The attic is another unexpected delight. Accessed easily — far more easily than in most Victorian houses — it offers not just additional storage, but actual usable space. Light streams in through windows that frame even more river views, making the attic feel less like an afterthought and more like a hidden nook waiting for someone with imagination. It could be a studio, a writing room, a quiet place for meditation, or a retreat for hobbies. The openness of the attic transforms it into one of those adaptable features that feels increasingly rare in today’s real estate inventory, where new homes often sacrifice charm for efficiency.

Below the main living areas, the full daylight basement expands the home even further. Its size, brightness, and accessibility make it a valuable extension of the property. Whether used for storage, workshop space, future finishing, or simply as a place to spread out projects, the basement offers the kind of flexibility that is often difficult to find in Victorian homes, many of which were built with cramped or uneven lower levels. Here, the lower floor feels solid, spacious, and full of possibility.

Outside, the backyard adds yet another layer of charm. It is larger than expected for a historic house situated on a hillside, and the shape of the yard makes it feel private and welcoming at once. Gardens, pets, outdoor dining, small gatherings — everything fits naturally here. The yard is part of what transforms this property from a beautiful structure into a truly livable home. Many historic houses are heavy on character but limited in outdoor space; this one offers both.

In addition to its architectural appeal, the location of the home contributes enormously to its value. Being set at the end of a dead-end street gives the property a sense of calm and privacy that is rare so close to Astoria’s vibrant downtown. It is the sort of street where traffic is minimal, where neighbors walk dogs, and where every direction seems to open onto a view of trees, sky, or water. Yet from the front door, it takes only minutes to reach the heart of the city — the riverwalk, the breweries, the bookstores, the cafés, the galleries, and the restaurants that make Astoria such an appealing place to live. For anyone looking for a house for sale that combines privacy with convenience, this property answers the need without compromise.

There is also the matter of Alexandre Gilbert, the French-born carpenter who built the home in 1893. His story is not the focus of the listing, but it nevertheless adds richness to the experience of the property. Gilbert arrived in Astoria in 1881 after time in San Francisco, and quickly embedded himself in the community. He opened the Cave Française Saloon in the city’s red-light district, a business that local stories claim may have included a trapdoor used in the Shanghaiing trade that once shaped Astoria’s waterfront culture. Whether the trapdoor legend is myth or fact, the detail hints at the tangled and colorful history of the region, a history Gilbert was undeniably connected to. His later successes in real estate, community development, and civic leadership — he would go on to help build what is now the Gilbert Inn in Seaside, donate land for the oceanfront promenade, and eventually serve as mayor — make this home more than just a building. It becomes part of the legacy of a man who helped shape the northern Oregon coast. Owning a home built by Gilbert is not simply buying a property; it is joining a story.

What makes the home especially remarkable is how gracefully it balances period character with contemporary practicality. Many nineteenth-century houses are either too heavily renovated, losing their identity in the process, or too original, making them difficult to live in comfortably without major investment. This home manages something far more difficult: it honors its roots while embracing the present. It feels authentic, not theatrical. It is warm, not overly restored. It is comfortable, not fragile. And it offers all of the essential comforts expected from a modern residence while preserving the irreplaceable elements that make Victorian architecture so enduringly captivating.

This is the sort of property that attracts not just historians and architecture enthusiasts, but anyone seeking a home that feels meaningful. It speaks to buyers looking for real estate that stands apart from standard new-build listings, people who want a house that feels like an experience rather than simply a structure. It’s the kind of listing that will appeal to those who value craftsmanship, who appreciate the rhythm of a river town, and who understand the difference between a historic home that feels burdensome and one that feels effortlessly loved.

The Alexandre Gilbert House succeeds in being both personal and grand. It is intimate enough for everyday living, yet spacious enough to host guests. It is close enough to downtown to enjoy Astoria’s character, yet set apart enough to feel private. It is historic enough to satisfy admirers of Victorian architecture, yet updated enough to remain functional for decades to come. In the world of homes for sale today, where so many properties feel interchangeable, this one stands defiantly on its hillside, entirely itself.

For anyone searching the real estate market for a home that blends history, craftsmanship, character, views, space, convenience, and story, this house for sale in Astoria represents a rare opportunity. With three bedrooms, two baths, river views from multiple floors, a romantic balcony, a full daylight basement, a welcoming attic, a generous backyard, and a carefully maintained collection of original 1890s features, it embodies the spirit of Queen Anne Victorian architecture without feeling trapped in the past. It is listed by realtor Sarah Jane Bardy of Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s International Realty, and it is ready for its next chapter.

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