We humbly acknowledge, that the Portland metropolitan area, rests on the traditional village sites of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Bands of Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla, and many other Native American Tribes, who made their homes here, along the Columbia (A KA Wimahl), and Willamette (A K A Whilamut) rivers, for thousands of years.
The city grew slowly until the early 1900s.
Here in front of us is Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland's living room.
And the very center of downtown.
This square is ranked, as the world's 4th-best public square, by Project for Public Spaces, bested only by two squares in Venice, and one in Siena Italy.
Pioneer Courthouse Square has seen many changes since the city founding in 1843.
The dense forest originally on this site, and surrounding it, was shipped as timber to California, during the eighteen forty eight Gold Rush.
The resulting stumps, painted white to prevent pedestrians from tripping over them in the dark, won Portland the disparaging nickname, "Stumptown on the Willamette.", or just Stumptown.
FOLLOW ALONG WITH PICTURES
See Picture, Stumptown.
The city's 1st school.
On this spot.
In the year, eighteen fifty five.
Nothing. Happened.
As far as we know.
Then, in eighteen fifty six, the city purchased it, for the site of the 1st public schoolhouse in Portland, Central School.
FOLLOW ALONG WITH PICTURES
See Picture, Central School.
In the lower left, in the picture, is Pioneer Courthouse, our next stop.
The school was moved, in eighteen eighty three, to make room for the Hotel Portland, Portland's Grandest hotel, which stood at this site from eighteen ninety, to nineteen fifty one, & housed 11 presidents. Built by the Northern Pacific Railroad, in the style of a Queen Anne Chateau, it was Portland's most interesting and gracious building.
FOLLOW ALONG WITH PICTURES
See Picture, Hotel Portland.
The building captured the look and the feel of the city, as no other building has before, or since...
And it served as a hotspot, for elite Portlanders, and wealthy visitors.
60 years later, in nineteen fifty one, the poorly constructed foundations began to deteriorate, causing the building to become run-down. Eventually, the luster of the Hotel Portland was lost forever, and was demolished in the 1950s.
All that remains of the Hotel Portland, is the original iron front gate, on the east side.
In the picture, the Pioneer Courthouse is in the bottom right, out of the frame.
One final thought about the Hotel Portland.
"It's hard to imagine a building, being built, with such artistry today"
NEXT.
The Square has a number of fun features...including.
...the "Allow Me" sculpture (which is the man with the umbrella).
An amphitheater "Echo Chamber",
...And the musical & mechanical, Weather Machine, are both behind the Starbucks.
(In keeping with Portlands motto, "Keep Portland weird"), the Weather Machine forecasts the next day's weather...installed in 1988.
At exactly noon each day, the following days weather, is announced with a fanfare of trumpets, flashing lights, and a spray of mist. The orb opens, to reveal one of the following:
A golden leaf sun, for a clear day.
Or a silver, great blue heron to forecast a drizzly, misty, or overcast day.
Or an open-mouthed copper dragon, when storms are forecast.
Again, that happens at noon each day.
Light bulbs on the side of the machine, are reminiscent of a mercury thermometer, and light up progressively as the temperature increases.
Also present, there's a waterfall, Portlands 1st Starbucks from nineteen eighty nine, AND UNDER the Starbucks, is a public restroom.
Also here, are Benson Bubbler drinking fountains on each corner. Be sure to check them out,
Let me know if you want to get out and take a sip from a Benson Bubbler, Highly recommended!
FOLLOW ALONG WITH PICTURES
See the Picture, drinking from a Benson Bubbler.
...The iconic Benson Bubbler drinking fountains are dotted throughout the downtown.
The 4 bowl fountains, are here, right there on each corner.
The Benson Bubblers came about in 1912, when a man named Simon Benson, a wealthy entrepreneur, felt very strongly about keeping his working loggers out of the saloons and bars at lunch hour. With that intent in mind, he presented the city of Portland with $10,000 for the construction of 20 bronze, four-bowl drinking fountains, warmly known as Benson Bubblers. All of the originals are 4 bowled.
Now there are 52 Benson bubblers within downtown, & 1 in our sister city, Sapporo Japan.
Food Carts.
The Food Carts may Include:
Let me know if you want to learn more about the carts here, go see any of the sights here, take a sip from a Benson Bubbler, see the "Allow Me" sculpture, the amphitheater "Echo Chamber", or see the musical & mechanical Weather Machine.
Or use the restroom, the best opportunity to do so.
All, Highly recommended!
Beyond the Hotel Portland front gate, and across the street, is the,
HISTORIC PIONEER COURTHOUSE, which we will learn about now.
With many more.
Let me know if you have any questions?
The city grew slowly until the early 1900s.
Here in front of us is Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland's living room.
And the very center of downtown.
This square is ranked, as the world's 4th-best public square, by Project for Public Spaces, bested only by two squares in Venice, and one in Siena Italy.
Pioneer Courthouse Square has seen many changes since the city founding in 1843.
The dense forest originally on this site, and surrounding it, was shipped as timber to California, during the eighteen forty eight Gold Rush.
The resulting stumps, painted white to prevent pedestrians from tripping over them in the dark, won Portland the disparaging nickname, "Stumptown on the Willamette.", or just Stumptown.
FOLLOW ALONG WITH PICTURES
See Picture, Stumptown.
The city's 1st school.
On this spot.
In the year, eighteen fifty five.
Nothing. Happened.
As far as we know.
Then, in eighteen fifty six, the city purchased it, for the site of the 1st public schoolhouse in Portland, Central School.
FOLLOW ALONG WITH PICTURES
See Picture, Central School.
In the lower left, in the picture, is Pioneer Courthouse, our next stop.
The school was moved, in eighteen eighty three, to make room for the Hotel Portland, Portland's Grandest hotel, which stood at this site from eighteen ninety, to nineteen fifty one, & housed 11 presidents. Built by the Northern Pacific Railroad, in the style of a Queen Anne Chateau, it was Portland's most interesting and gracious building.
FOLLOW ALONG WITH PICTURES
See Picture, Hotel Portland.
The building captured the look and the feel of the city, as no other building has before, or since...
And it served as a hotspot, for elite Portlanders, and wealthy visitors.
60 years later, in nineteen fifty one, the poorly constructed foundations began to deteriorate, causing the building to become run-down. Eventually, the luster of the Hotel Portland was lost forever, and was demolished in the 1950s.
All that remains of the Hotel Portland, is the original iron front gate, on the east side.
In the picture, the Pioneer Courthouse is in the bottom right, out of the frame.
One final thought about the Hotel Portland.
"It's hard to imagine a building, being built, with such artistry today"
NEXT.
The Square has a number of fun features...including.
...the "Allow Me" sculpture (which is the man with the umbrella).
An amphitheater "Echo Chamber",
...And the musical & mechanical, Weather Machine, are both behind the Starbucks.
(In keeping with Portlands motto, "Keep Portland weird"), the Weather Machine forecasts the next day's weather...installed in 1988.
At exactly noon each day, the following days weather, is announced with a fanfare of trumpets, flashing lights, and a spray of mist. The orb opens, to reveal one of the following:
A golden leaf sun, for a clear day.
Or a silver, great blue heron to forecast a drizzly, misty, or overcast day.
Or an open-mouthed copper dragon, when storms are forecast.
Again, that happens at noon each day.
Light bulbs on the side of the machine, are reminiscent of a mercury thermometer, and light up progressively as the temperature increases.
Also present, there's a waterfall, Portlands 1st Starbucks from nineteen eighty nine, AND UNDER the Starbucks, is a public restroom.
Also here, are Benson Bubbler drinking fountains on each corner. Be sure to check them out,
Let me know if you want to get out and take a sip from a Benson Bubbler, Highly recommended!
FOLLOW ALONG WITH PICTURES
See the Picture, drinking from a Benson Bubbler.
...The iconic Benson Bubbler drinking fountains are dotted throughout the downtown.
The 4 bowl fountains, are here, right there on each corner.
The Benson Bubblers came about in 1912, when a man named Simon Benson, a wealthy entrepreneur, felt very strongly about keeping his working loggers out of the saloons and bars at lunch hour. With that intent in mind, he presented the city of Portland with $10,000 for the construction of 20 bronze, four-bowl drinking fountains, warmly known as Benson Bubblers. All of the originals are 4 bowled.
Now there are 52 Benson bubblers within downtown, & 1 in our sister city, Sapporo Japan.
Food Carts.
The Food Carts may Include:
- Fried Egg, I’m in Love, which boasts one of the most habit-forming breakfast sandwiches in town. I’m talking about the Yolko Ono, a fried egg stacked with Parmesan, and a house sausage patty, and slathered with bright house pesto, on Portland French Bakery bread.
- The Whole Bowl (A Saucy bean bowl stalwart)
- Philly cheesesteak cart (Called "The Block")
- Rollin' Fresh Sushi Burrito's. And
- Amelia's Mexican Food
Let me know if you want to learn more about the carts here, go see any of the sights here, take a sip from a Benson Bubbler, see the "Allow Me" sculpture, the amphitheater "Echo Chamber", or see the musical & mechanical Weather Machine.
Or use the restroom, the best opportunity to do so.
All, Highly recommended!
Beyond the Hotel Portland front gate, and across the street, is the,
HISTORIC PIONEER COURTHOUSE, which we will learn about now.
With many more.
Let me know if you have any questions?
