He designed this house himself to look like a Greek temple . Americans loved Greek temples, because the government in ancient Greece was the birthplace of democracy and a model for the new American governmen t. Now find the pillars that hold up the roof. As Portland began to grow, the city was crowded with houses and buildings. Soon it was hard to find open lots of land .
More houses can fit in a city block, if they are tall and narrow.
Houses built side by side are called townhouses or rowhouses . Behind them was a park and a well for people on this block to share. The Victoria Mansion is one of the most splendid houses in America. Ruggles S. Morse built this house so that he and his wife, Olive, could spend summers in Portland. Mr. Morse found the finest artists from Europe and America to decorate his house.