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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Stouts fire, weather pose firefighting challenge ... Southern Oregon gets double dose of smoke ... Medford police identify suspect in drive-by shooting ... Stouts fire, weather pose firefighting challenge ... Southern Oregon gets double dose of smoke ... Medford police identify suspect in drive-by shooting ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Governor's Mahonia Hall will be occupied again Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Mar. 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News During all the turmoil over Gov. Kitzhaber's departure, I was surprised that he was not living in the governor's mansion and that it apparently was sitting empty. I'm glad to see our new governor, Kate Brown, will live there with her family and wondered if you could give us some more details about the home. — Kate L., Medford   Gladly, Kate, with a little help from our friends at the Salem Statesman Journal, who wrote a story on the new tenants of the mansion known as Mahonia Hall. The home, in the hills of South Salem, is a tidy 11,409 square feet spread out over four floors. Four governors, all Democrats and including John Kitzhaber, have lived there since it was purchased in 1987. Kitzhaber did not live in the house during his third or fourth terms and said he preferred to live in Portland to be near his son. Lest you see the word "mansion" and wonder why taxpayers were saddled with buying such a extravagance for the state's governor, wonder no more, Kate. The home was purchased for $1.5 million by private donations, in a drive led by Gerry Frank of Meier & Frank fame and Phil Knight, of ... well, you know. The Frohnmayer family and Fred Meyer also joined in the effort, which drew donations from more than 400 individuals and businesses. According to the Statesman Journal: "The home was designed by Ellis Lawrence, who founded the University of Oregon's School of Architecture in 1914. It was built in 1924 for Thomas Livesley and his wife, Edna. Livesley became the mayor of Salem in 1927 and used the home, complete with a third-floor ballroom, wine cellar and formal gardens and terrace, for entertaining, according to the 'Mahonia Hall Handbook for Governors and Their Families.' " The home was named by Salem area students for Oregon's state flower, Mahonia aquifolium, which is the scientific name for Oregon grape. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501