The Citovic Familiy are the current owners and custodians of this historic treasure, the Rosebriar Mansion in Astoria. L to R: Dominik, Trudy, Djordje “George” & Alina Čitović on the banks of the Columbia River.
photo by Justin Grafton Studios
The Rosebriar Mansion: Historic Wedding Venue in Astoria, Oregon
June 25, 1994 - The Van Dusen wedding party on the front steps of the Rosebriar Mansion. L to R: Jacob Savage, Willis Van Dusen Jr., Willis L. Van Dusen (groom), Dr. Rachel Van Dusen MD, Jan Van Dusen (bride), Dr. Kristin Zedwick DVM, Trudy Van Dusen Čitović (co-owner of the Rosebriar Mansion)
Labor Day Weekend 2021 was our first opportunity to host a wedding at the newly-restored Rosebriar Mansion. Congratulations to Abigail & Kyle!
photo by Alyson Hall Photography
It’s your turn to add to the next chapter of the story. How can we bring your dream to life at the Rosebriar Mansion?
photo by Justin Grafton Studios
“RH” is inscribed on the Chapel door and on a second floor window, from period in the 1990s when the was known as “Rosebriar Hotel.”
photo by Justin Grafton Studios
Our vision…
We are Djordje “George” and Trudy Citovic, and we’re thrilled to welcome you to the newly-restored Rosebriar Mansion!
Our vision is to help people like you create memories of a lifetime on the Oregon Coast by connecting with the ones you care about most in an intimate atmosphere that feels both special and somehow just like home.
history of the rosebriar…
Since its construction over 120 years ago, this Historic Landmark has undergone many transformations. Whether as a nunnery, a residential rehabilitation facility or a wedding venue, this special property has had a profound and lasting impact on innumerable lives. We are honored to be the current custodians of this historic treasure.
1902 - 1950
Originally constructed in 1902, the front portion of the property served as a single-family home for local banker, Frank Patton, and his family. Those Oregon roots run deep, as Patton’s great-grandson is famed University of Oregon quarterback, Joey Harrington. Finishing fourth in the voting for the 2001 Heisman Trophy, Harrington went on to play seven seasons in the NFL, primarily for the Detroit Lions.
1950-1970
In 1950, renowned local architect, John Wicks, designed a seamless addition of a large chapel and six additional bedrooms to convert the property into a convent, serving St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Catholic Church & School. Mother Superior occupied what is now known as the Garden Suite on the main floor, and the other Sisters of the Holy Names lived in 10 bedrooms on the second floor. Trudy’s father attended Star of the Sea and humorously recounts how he was called to the convent to speak to Mother Superior on more than one occasion, “That’s when you knew you were really in trouble!”
1970 - mid-1980s
In the 1970s, the property was known as the Phoenix House, where troubled young women had the opportunity to receive counseling and rise again to create a new life for themselves. In fact, we were honored to host a reunion of women who graduated from this program in 2022. We were amazed at their stories and learned how their time at the Rosebriar had been a significant turning point in their lives and lives of many of their peers.
1990 - 2008
Circa 1990, the property was transformed yet again, this time into a bed & breakfast and christened “The Rosebriar,” as it has been known ever since. It was during that timeframe - on June 25, 1994 - that Trudy’s father and stepmother were married here. Trudy was just two weeks shy of her 16th birthday as she joined the wedding party, but the magic of the day made a lasting impression. She often wonders what 15-year old Trudy would have said if someone had told her she would one day call the Rosebriar home!
2008 - march 2020
The 2008 economic downturn hit the bed & breakfast industry hard, so for the next decade the property returned to serving women looking to transform their lives - this time in the form of a residential drug & alcohol rehabilitation facility. Those 10 years took a toll on the building, and the operation closed in 2017 due to bankruptcy. The Rosebriar then stood vacant and unmaintained for two long years. The driving rain of two winters on the Oregon Coast allowed a pervasive leak to damage a large section in the rear of the structure.
By the time we toured the Rosebriar in November 2019, it was in a sad state of disrepair. However, leaning on the combination of Djordje’s years of experience in the real estate industry and Trudy’s memory of the space at its finest, we made an offer and were scheduled to close on the property on March 31, 2020. As the world now knows, the global pandemic led to lockdown in Oregon on March 16, 2020. By the end of March, Clatsop County had prohibited all hotels and bed & breakfasts from accepting tourists. We walked away from the property on the day of the closing, losing our earnest money, but knowing in our hearts we could not afford to move forward.
july 2020 - june 2021
On July 4th, 2020, we got the call that changed our lives. The prior owner was ready to make a deal, and so - with a huge leap of faith - we officially purchased The Rosebriar Mansion three weeks later.
The pandemic had helped us create a new vision for the property. Rather than a collection of rooms with different parties in each, we envisioned a unified space for groups of friends and family to connect and re-connect while surrounded by the beauty of the Oregon Coast. Having traveled with our own extended families on multiple occasions, we understood the unique needs of large groups and how to create just the right atmosphere by making the space feel both special and homey. Thanks to Trudy’s fond memories, we also knew the property’s potential as an intimate wedding venue, corporate retreat space or destination for celebrations of any kind.
Djordje spent a full year lovingly restoring every detail of the home, and it shows! He personally sanded and restored every inch of woodwork, rehabilitated the century-old window sashes and brick-by-brick disassembled the lower half an old chimney that had been hidden in a kitchen wall during the John Wicks renovation of the property. Djordje’s incredible journey is documented on our social media pages. Find us on Facebook or Instagram @rosebriarmansion.
june 2021 - present
In June of 2021, we welcomed our first guests to the newly-restored Rosebriar Mansion Vacation Rental & Wedding Venue. We were fortunate enough to be booked every weekend that summer, culminating in the unforgettable 1920’s-themed wedding of Abigail & Kyle over Labor Day weekend. And the rest, as they say, is history…
your chapter is next!
What chapter will you add to the storied history of the Rosebriar Mansion? Contact us today to start making your dream a reality…