ASTORIA, Ore. -- For a group known to never say die, a few blue tarps and homemade signs are quick to stop them dead in their tracks.
They are the latest fixtures donning the front of Astoria's iconic home, featured in the classic 80s film ‘The Goonies'. They come courtesy of the home's owner, who city official say has decided to close off the property to visitors and fans.
"Imagine that you buy a house, fix it up," read one visitor from a sign, containing the homeowner's hand-written plea, "then the city of Astoria encourages thousands to come stand in front."
But that doesn't mean, lovers of the classic are happy to truffle-shuffle home empty-handed.
Tuesday afternoon, fan after fan ended the pilgrimage of their childhood dreams, disappointed.
Some came from as far as Minneapolis, Boston and Italy.
"She should realize that there is a following for this movie and that people really want to see this house," said visitor Linda Marincovich.
"I'm surprised that she waited this long," said Astoria City Councilman Russ Warr.
Warr lives down the street from the "Goonies" house.
He says the owner moved in more than a decade ago, when visits were minimal.
For years, she greeted fans and gave impromptu tours, but recently social media buzz has made for surging crowds.
Warr says this summer, the city estimates between 1,200 and 1,500 people per day drop by, unannounced.
He says while most are polite, some are not.
"They park on the 'no-parking' zones, they park on the sidewalks, they relieve their dogs on their lawns," he said.
Warr says fans show up overnight, leaving beer bottles and cigarette butts.
Eventually, the owner had enough, forcing future would-be visitors to, indeed, say die.
"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," said Ashley Jones.
City officials say, as far as they know, there are no plans to reopen the "Goonies" house.
The move comes roughly a month after the city's 30th anniversary celebration of the film, which officials estimate, generated roughly 2 to $3 million for Astoria's economy.
Sean Astin, who starred in the movie, asked for people to show the house and the owners respect.
