Portland, Oregon

Portland is the largest city in Oregon, a few dozen miles from the west (Pacific) coast of the United States. It is situated just south of the Columbia River, where the Willamette River, which flows north through the city, joins it. The city population is 529,121 (2000 Census). 2,180,996 people live in the Portland area, making it the 22nd largest metro area in the United States.

The city is nicknamed "The City of Roses", and hosts a Rose Festival each Spring. Informally, residents of Portland also call it "PDX", from the airport code of Portland International Airport. Other nicknames are "City of Bridges", "Rip City", "River City", and "Puddletown". One of the oldest nicknames attached to the city is from the early days of phenomenal growth. In the years after 1847, the city grew so rapidly that the stumps of trees cut down to make way for roads were left until manpower could be spared to remove them. The stumps remained in some areas for so long that locals painted them white to make them more visible, and used them to cross the street without sinking into the mud. Thus, Portland earned the nickname, "Stumptown".

History

Francis Pettygrove and Asa Lovejoy, co-founders of Portland, named the city in 1845 when Pettygrove won a coin toss with his partner. Pettygrove named it for his hometown of Portland, Maine; had Lovejoy won, he intended to name it after his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts.

Portland was the major port in the northwestern United States for much of the 19th century, until the 1890s when direct railroad access between the deep water harbor at Seattle and points east by way of Stampede Pass had been built. Goods could then be transported from the northwest coast to inland cities without needing to navigate the Columbia Bar at the mouth of the river.

Geography and neighborhoods

Portland is divided into five sections. The Willamette River bisects the city into an eastern and western section, and Burnside Street bisects it into a northern and southern section. So there is NW, SW, NE, and SE. The river curves to the NW north of Burnside, so the section of N Portland that is actually north of the river is the N section. The city is slightly asymmetrical, because the west side is cut off by the West Hills, while the east side stretches on for more than 150 blocks, until it meets Gresham. Locals refer to these areas by the abbreviated names "Northwest", "Southwest", "Northeast" and "Southeast"; however for "North Portland" the full name is always used.

Northwest is a mix of industry, old warehouses which are being converted into condos, a trendy shopping district, and art galleries.
Southwest contains downtown, the super-rich West Hills, and the Macadam Blvd. area, as well as Lewis and Clark College.
Northeast is largely working-class neighborhoods, although sections of Northeast are becoming gentrified. It is the traditionally black area of Portland, but as the arts district of Alberta Street becomes more yuppified, black and poor people are being pushed out to the east side. Northeast is a center of punk activity because of low rent and the arts scene.
North Portland, another working-class area, contains the St. Johns neighborhood which has an old-fashioned and slightly run down feeling, right next to the beautiful St. John's Bridge.
Southeast is calm, very white, and stretches from the warehouses by the river, through the hippie Hawthorne district, to the white-trashy 82nd Ave and beyond. It is a haven for aging leftists, gardeners, anarchists, and Reed College.

The Portland metropolitan area also includes the neighboring cities of Beaverton, Gresham, Hillsboro, Milwaukie, Oregon City, and Tigard (all in Oregon), as well as Vancouver (in Washington). Portland itself is in Multnomah County.

Parks

Forest Park is one of the world's largest parks contained within a city, at about 20 km² (7.7 mi²), or 5000 acres. Portland is also home to Mill Ends Park, one of the smallest parks anywhere (being a two-foot diameter circle, its "acreage" is only about 0.3 square metres).

Perhaps the most famous park is Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park, which runs along the Willamette River for the length of downtown. The 15 hectare (37 acre) park was built in 1974 by removing a freeway which previously ran alongside the river. Today it plays host to large events throughout the year, including a beer festival, a series of blues concerts, and the Rose Festival carnival.

Public transportation

Portland is well-known for its comprehensive public transportation system.

5th and 6th Aves in downtown are designated for bus traffic only. The bus system is extremely organized, with almost all bus routes ending in downtown on the bus mall, where bus stops are grouped geographically by destination, so that if you miss your bus you can take another one that goes close by.

The light rail, or MAX goes from Hillsboro, a western suburb, to Gresham, an eastern suburb. It goes through downtown, past the Lloyd Center shopping mall, and the Hollywood district. Another MAX line goes from downtown to the airport, and a route along Interstate Blvd. is under construction.

In addition, the Portland Streetcar began operation in 2001, with a short route from Portland State University, through downtown, to the shopping district on NW 23rd.

A more controversial form of public transportation, an aerial tramway, is planned to connect the North Macadam neighborhood with Marquam Hill (also known as "Pill Hill": the location of Oregon Health and Science University).

Sports teams

Colleges and universities

Concordia University
Portland State University
Reed College
Lewis and Clark College
Multnomah Bible College
Oregon Health and Science University (formerly Oregon Health Sciences University)
University of Portland

Portland, Oregon

History

Geography and neighborhoods

Parks

Public transportation

Sports teams

Colleges and universities

Notable current and former Portlanders

Cultural institutions

Related links

See also