'The Goonies' Homes are Tourist Attractions

Filed under: Fun Stuff, Design, etc, House Tours, News & Trends

Twenty-five years after the movie's release, fans still flock to the small Oregon town where it was filmed.

Confession: As a kid, I watched "The Goonies" a lot. I blame '80s hotties Sean Astin and Corey Feldman for getting me hooked, watching it over and over again on my parents' VCR.

Written by Steven Spielberg, the 1985 film's story is simple: Developers plan to expand a golf course and country club in the Goon Docks neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon, and as a result the Walsh family may be forced to move out of their home. After finding a treasure map in their attic, the Walsh brothers round up a group of friends who set off on a quest to save their home, outsmarting criminals and finding a pirate ship along the way. Who can forget Chunk (Jeff Cohen), the chubby-cheeked kid, who loved to tell tall tales and was forced to do the unforgettable truffle shuffle, or Mikey (Sean Astin), the sweet-as-pie, determined younger Walsh brother, who leads the group to One Eyed Willy's treasure?

The historic homes of Astoria, Oregon serve as the backdrop for the adventure, and the Washington Post reports that thousands of fans still visit the town to tour some of the town's buildings and homes used in the movie. In June, many of the original "Goonies" stars traveled to Astoria for a 25th-anniversary bash (lasting four days) that included viewing the movie, an '80s-theme night out on the town, meet-and-greet with fans in attendance and bus tours to film locations. (Did you know that Corey Feldman is now in a rock band? I didn't either. His band, The Truth Movement, performed during the celebration.)

One of the houses featured in the film is the beautiful historic Victorian shown in the photo above. The house, located at 368 38th Street, is where the Walsh family lived. It's closed to the public, but it doesn't stop gawkers from standing outside and staring. We'd rather kick back and relax on that gorgeous porch.

The attic (above) inside the "Walsh" family home figured large in the movie -- after all, it's where the Goonies find the treasure map that sets them off on their adventures. It's a bare bones space, but with cathedral ceilings and skylights, we think it could be transformed into a pretty amazing craft or yoga room. As part of the Goonies Anniversary event, tourists could pay $25 to tour the interiors of the homes featured in the film.



Clark "Mouth" Devereaux's (Corey Feldman) house was also in the Goon Docks neighborhood. Rhonda Solheim (shown above), who owns "Mouth's" Astoria house, opened it up to visitors recently as part of the anniversary celebration.

Another building that visitors love to check out: the Clatstop County Jail (see below). Now home to the Oregon Film Museum, which opened in late May of this year, it was the site of "the Fratelli brother breakout," as the Portland Oregonian puts it. At 732 Duane Street, you can even walk into jail cell number two, where Jake Fratelli spent some time, and admire the modest furnishings: four bunks. Museum officials have jiggered a live webcam video so that your friends and family can see you in the cell.

 

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