Our Story
Our Story
A Note From the Owners
Ainsworth House & Gardens is a wedding and event venue where beauty, elegance, and history come together.
Our connection to the Pacific Northwest began through family. Christie’s father is originally from the Portland area, and when our children attended the University of Portland, our visits became more frequent. We quickly fell in love with Oregon and knew we wanted to make it home.
When the opportunity arose to purchase Ainsworth House & Gardens, it felt like the perfect fit. Our backgrounds in weddings, sales, and finance gave us the opportunity to build a family business centered around something we truly enjoy: creating a welcoming place for people to celebrate life’s most meaningful moments.
This is our home, and when you celebrate here, you’re our guest. Along with our incredible team, we’re committed to making every event feel personal, seamless, and memorable.
Whether you’re planning a wedding, birthday, anniversary, celebration of life, or another special gathering, we invite you to experience the beauty, history, and serenity of Ainsworth House & Gardens.
~ Christie & John
Exploring Our Past
A Look Back at Our History
Captain John C. Ainsworth’s story began far from Oregon. Born and raised in Ohio, he began earning his own living at just 13 years old following the death of his father. As a young man, he worked on the Mississippi River, quickly rising from pilot to master of a passenger steamship.
Drawn west during the California Gold Rush, Ainsworth was in Sacramento when he was offered command of a new steamer being built in Milwaukie, Oregon. He arrived in late 1850 to captain the Lot Whitcomb, the first steamer built on the Willamette River and the first to operate a regular route on the Willamette and Columbia Rivers.
As Ainsworth’s business interests grew alongside the rapidly developing region, he commissioned his home south of Oregon City in 1851. Today, even our address reflects that history. Lot Whitcomb Drive takes its name from the steamboat Captain Ainsworth once commanded.
Ainsworth was more than a successful merchant and steamboat captain. His ambitions were reflected in the design of his home. The mansion was built in the Greek Revival style, an architectural form inspired by the temples of ancient Greece and often reserved for prominent homes and civic buildings. Architecture Oregon Style has described the Ainsworth mansion as “Oregon’s best example of the Greek Revival temple form.”
The home became a gathering place for some of the region’s influential political, social, and business figures. More than 175 years later, it continues its tradition as a place where people come together.
Built in 1851 – eight years before Oregon became a state – the historic Ainsworth House remains a remarkable piece of Oregon history and a beautiful setting for weddings and special events.