Many old houses are being bulldozed and replaced by fancy condos in the quickly developing Northwest Portland. But Grant Norling and John Jendritza who owned two small Victorian houses didn’t want to see history erased. So they did something unique with their property. They built on, instead of up, creating Slabtown Village, a unique tiny house hotel. It isn’t the city’s first such hotel (that honor goes to a funky build in the Northeast part of the city), but it certainly is unique.

The old homes from 1875 still have their original Douglas Fir floors and their historic old-time appeal, but now they share the property with three very modern tiny homes on wheels. This creative use of the land allowed Norling and Jendritza to hold on to the history while adding something new to the community, marrying both the past and present of the developing city. For even more community connection the homes are named after famous Portlanders, like legendary Trailblazer, Bill Walton, and famed children’s book author, Beverly Cleary. The homes offer great accommodation for out-of-town guests. wedding parties, and family reunions, but are also used by many to suss out whether the tiny life is right for them.