Our Story
A History of Hopewell House
The House
Hopewell House
Hopewell House is a historic property on four wooded acres in the peaceful SW Portland neighborhood of Hillsdale. In 1984 the Henningsen family, owners of the Cold Storage Company, donated half the value of the home and property to a non-profit to develop an inpatient hospice. After expanding and reconfiguring through philanthropic support, the house opened as a freestanding inpatient hospice in 1987. Ownership changed three times over 33 years before Legacy Health closed the doors in the fall of 2019. Throughout, the enduring commitment has been to use the home as one of the only freestanding inpatient hospices in the Pacific Northwest, dedicated to serving the dying and their families.
•A 12,000 square foot structure set on over 4.5 acres of serene landscaped and wooded land
•An addition has been built on to the original historic Tudor home to accommodate the medical wing of patient rooms
•There are 12 beds with 11 private rooms, each having a TV, lounge chair, and enough space to accommodate loved ones. Each room has a shared handicap-accessible bathroom
•A Gracious living room with fireplace providing ample space for families to gather, play music on the grand piano, watch TV, play games or visit with each other
•A Large dining room for families to share meals together
•A Beautiful sunlit lounge area situated close to patient rooms, in which to gather and relax
•A Light-filled sanctuary for contemplation and reading
•A Private apartment available in the upstairs portion of the historic home for families who need to remain close to their loved ones at the time of death
•A Commercial kitchen to provide meals for patient and families
•Four acres of gardens, gazebos, and outdoor seating providing rest and renewal for all
Testimonials
Holly Pruett
Antoinette Gordon
Antoinette Gordon
"When a family member was ready to be discharged from the hospital, even without a clear terminal diagnosis it was clear to the medical team that hospice admission was the next step. His wife was not emotionally prepared, nor was their home ready for in-home care. Thankfully there was a bed at HH. Even though he likely didn't need the medical support offered by in-patient hospice, the intention of the hospital social worker was that a few days at HH would allow the family the time to get things set up for in-home care. As it turned out, he died at HH within 48 hours of his admission. While his death came as a shock to his wife, she was spared the trauma of doubting her own abilities as a caregiver and all the rest of the chaos that would have ensued in his final days if he'd been discharged home directly from the hospital. And his final day at HH included a visit from his beloved cat, something that could not have happened if he'd remained in the hospital."
Antoinette Gordon
Antoinette Gordon
Antoinette Gordon
"The week before my brother’s death I was a guest at Hopewell House. The staff, incredible people seemed to break all the rules usually imposed at hospitals, they pushed my brother’s bed out into the sunny courtyard where we “enjoyed” boisterous family gatherings, even my brother’s dog “Brillo” was allowed to romp on his bed, kissing his master’s face . . . resigned as we now were, that weekend we were almost happy. I remember particularly, a young woman (a nurse?) who came in to join us on her day off. I was so grateful and touched by this. The folks at Hopewell House even provided a suite where my parents could spend the night to be near their son! They probably knew we had very little time left. He died the next day."
Shawn Taylor
Rev. Larry Hansen
Rev. Larry Hansen
"My mother-in-law (Patricia Trotter) went to Hopewell House from the hospital suffering from late-stage inoperable lung cancer. The care she received from the staff at Hopewell was beyond compare...she was treated like she was their family member. It was an incredibly moving experience for us, her loved ones, to witness the compassion, kindness, and love these nurses show their patients. She had a very comfortable room that looked out onto a lovely garden where she was able to watch her beloved hummingbirds in the flowers. Every patient had fresh flowers in their room every day and was made as comfortable as possible...as were their family members. My mother-in-law passed peacefully after a week at Hopewell House. I can't say enough about the incredible staff & facility and I can't think of a better way for a loved one to reach their final resting place than in the care of these angels on earth in this peaceful setting."
Rev. Larry Hansen
Rev. Larry Hansen
Rev. Larry Hansen
"Hopewell House was a place for holistic healing of body, mind, and spirit; not only for our patients but also for their loved ones. Sharing with them some of the most sacred moments in their lives stripped us who were privileged to serve there of our inconsequential irritations and helped us to focus on what was truly important. I think all of us believed that our patients and families gave us the keys to living an authentic human life: compassion and solidarity with all of our sisters and brothers, especially those living at the margins. With enough support, Hopewell House can again serve as an integral part of the comprehensive health care services offered to our community"
Chaplain and Volunteer Coordinator, 2003-2013
