Astoria’s iconic Goonies house is closed because of a large number of fans visiting it during the film’s 30th anniversary. The owner, Sandi Preston, closed the property located in Astoria, Oregon on Sunday after concluding that she could not handle the over 1000 visitors, who were often littering and disrupting neighbors.
About 1000 fans are to be blamed for the fact The Goonies house is closed to the public. In 1985, Steven Spielberg wrote The Goonies, a story about a group of teenagers known as Goonies from Astoria, Oregon, whose house was facing foreclosure and decided to spend one last night together before the demolition team arrived.
While touring the house one last time, the Goonies discovered the long-lost treasure of “One-Eyed Willy, a legendary 17th-century pirate.”
Directed by Richard Donner with a screenplay from Chris Columbus, the film cost barely $19 million to make and brought in over $61.5 million at the box office.
The teen flick became a cult with fans celebrating the anniversary of the release every year. The real Astoria home where the movie was filmed was purchased by Sandi Preston in 2001, and she opened her doors to the legions of fans from all over the world.
Twitter and Instagram are filled with selfies featuring what is now known as the Goonies home. This year marked the 30th anniversary since the movie hit theaters, which means that the traffic of people visiting the property skyrocketed between 1000 to 1,500 visitors per day.
According to Preston, some of her guests were polite, but many were rude, dirtied her front yard, littered the neighborhood and destroyed other people’s properties, which prompted her to put a sign that asks visitors to stay away.
On that same sign, she also slammed the city’s officials for encouraging hundreds of thousands of people to visit the famous home. It is believed that the home generated 2 to $3 million for Astoria’s economy this year. The sign revealed:
“Imagine that you buy a house, fix it up, spend money, time, and love. Then the city of Astoria encourages 100,000s of people to come and stand in front and view it. This driveway (maintained by homeowners) sees 1000+ people every day. Most are kind, fun and welcome., but many are not. You are in a beautiful place. Instead, enjoy the following:”
Talking to local media, the homeowner went on to add:
“Though I enjoy meeting new people, it’s become very difficult to live here. People walk up the driveway and stand in the middle of the access road or driveway and refuse to move when a resident needs to drive up or down.”
Angry fans took to Twitter to slam the woman. One said:
“It’s a bummer as someone who just wanted to come see a piece of childhood and something you think you’re a part of.”
Another shared:
“Now what am I going to do next time I visit Oregon?”
One disappointed supporter tweeted:
Awww maaaannnn. @SpiritualBacon Our dreams are dashed if we ever want to hit up the Oregon coast.
What are your thoughts on the Goonies house getting closed?
My dear friend Jeff messages me last night at 1 am with pics from his trip to Oregon.He visited The Goonies house!!! pic.twitter.com/yzdDsIQCuw
— Nathalie Levert (@mrskbieksa3) October 17, 2014
Lifetime goal, move to Oregon and live at the goonies house pic.twitter.com/lr6D2APPcP
— Angel (@40ozKINGAD) June 25, 2015
For years tourists from far and wide have flocked to the sleepy town of Astoria, in the Northwest tip of Oregon, t… http://t.co/IbV6VABEwS
— HOLLYWOOD JUNKET (@HollywoodJunket) August 20, 2015
Owner & neighbors of Astoria's #Goonies house @ wits' end with visitors. Say they "need peace". @KGWNews pic.twitter.com/BUEbFkcmni
— Maggie Vespa KGW (@Maggie_Vespa) August 18, 2015
NEW: Goonies house in Astoria now covered in blue tarp, in effort to deter tourists http://t.co/3TkXyEjeWY #LiveOnK2 pic.twitter.com/DLrrxgBFTm
— KATU News (@KATUNews) August 18, 2015
https://instagram.com/p/6S0zqoSyZK/
I live in an historical house, and I welcome visitors. Obviously, my house is not nearly as busy with visitors as the Goonies House. The owner was generous in letting people visit, but the bottom line is that it is a private residence, and IT IS HER HOME. If people are disappointed that it closed, then they need to consider that she opened it at great personal expense, not to mention what toll it took on her relations with the neighbors. Most people were decent, but crowds are crowds and rude people are just that. She has a right to live peacefully in her own home, and a right to free access and privacy. Regardless of the fame of the home, the rights of the owners, residents and neighbors are absolutely paramount. Enjoy the movie on DVDs anytime you like, but if she says the property is off limits, then that is it.
Why would you move into a movie house, only to push movie fans away?
What are fans rude and destructive?
*Why*