The Heart of the Vineyard Block
Our cluster of vacation rentals in Dundee begins with Villa Noir, also known as the Groth House.
The Groth House (Vineyard Block’s Villa Noir) today in 2025
On quiet 9th Street in Dundee, a house built in 1902 still greets the world with the confidence of a seasoned storyteller. Its bones carry the echo of early Oregon days, and its presence feels almost like a steady breath among the maples and vineyards that now define the region. Step close and the old gables seem to whisper fragments of the town’s beginnings.
From Germany to the Dundee Hills
The story begins in the late 1800s when the Groth family journeyed from Germany to Oregon, drawn by possibility and wide new horizons. They planted their lives in Dundee with both grit and optimism, first living above their hardware store that served the growing town. Once their fancy new home was finished on 9th street, the space above their store became a community hall for parties, plays and gatherings.
Their hardware store, blacksmith shop and home were all nestled in the center of town. The church, general store and the Dundee Woman’s Club were just steps away. The Woman’s club has since been converted into a community center and is still active today.
123 years of Steady Heartbeat
One hundred twenty three years is enough time for most things to fade into dust or memory, yet this house still stands with unmistakable pride. Several families have called it home across the decades, each one adding their own quiet care. Their restoration efforts never erased the original soul of the place. They simply polished its edges, leaving room for the past to keep breathing.
Look closely and the details begin to glow.
The porch still welcomes visitors as if expecting them.
The staircase carries the soft patina of generations of footsteps.
The hand carved finials, perched like little crowns at the roofline, remain firmly in place, their scrollwork weathered but resolute.
These features feel less like decorations and more like signatures left by the craftsmen who shaped them.
The Groth house in 1902. Photo courtesy of Lois Herring and Stories of Old Dundee by Marion Brumback
Bernard Groth and his son Paul at their hardware store, built in 1893. Photo courtesy of Lois Herring and Stories of Old Dundee by Marion Brumback
Main Street, Dundee, about 1904. The second building on the left is the Bernard Groth Hardware Store, where the Groth’s lived until their home was finished on 9th street. Photo courtesy of Myles Robertson and Stories of Old Dundee by Marion Brumback
Carrying the Legacy Forward
Now the Groth House enters a new chapter as the heart of the Vineyard Block, opening its doors to travelers who want to feel both the pulse of modern Dundee and the echo of the valley’s origins. Offering the home as a place for visitors to stay doesn’t just keep its history intact. It invites guests to step directly into it. Mornings come with the soft hum of a growing town, evenings with the kind of quiet that lets the house’s long memory drift to the surface.
Dundee itself is blooming in every direction. New hotels, restaurants, and wineries keep appearing like fresh brushstrokes on a familiar landscape. Those who arrive for the wine often find themselves lingering for the community, the easy pace, and the small-town warmth tucked at the base of the Dundee Hills.
In the center of all this progress, the Groth House stands as a bridge between eras. Guests get to experience a living piece of history while enjoying the best of the valley’s present-day creativity and flavor. It’s a rare thing: a stay that offers both roots and wings.
As the town continues to flourish, the Groth House remains steady, offering a warm landing place for explorers, wine lovers, and anyone who enjoys the feeling of stepping into a story that began long before they arrived.
And on 9th Street, the story continues.
