Greater Portland

Water everywhere, for everyone: public fountains in downtown Portland

"We're a water city, surrounded by rivers. It's nice to be able to see it everywhere," says Margaret Smith, a lifelong resident of the area, while she watches granddaughters Dionika and Nikayla Newell splashing in one of the many fountains maintained by the Portland Water Bureau. On summer days, three generations of her family, including daughter Nicole, enjoy the cooling waters, and they are far from alone.

This grove of western red cedars was planted in 1934, the first of hundreds of tree plantings organized by Lockyear in a life dedicated to reforestation.

Lockyear lead Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and other youth organizations in making many major tree plantings throughout the Pacific Northwest. In 1973 he founded the non-profit ReTree International to plant trees worldwide and involve and educate youth about the importance of trees to our planet. Re Tree International spread Lockyear's passion for reforestation to over 50 countries around the world.

The majestic trees that grace the grounds of the Washington County Courthouse were planted in 1880 as three year old seedlings by pioneer nurseryman John R. Porter. The Porter family came west to Oregon, from Ohio, in 1847. John Porter developed an interest in trees and started a nursery on his farm. When word of the California Gold Strike reached Oregon, he rushed there to seek his fortune. On his way to California, he was awe struck by a Sequoia forest in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

James Withycombe served as Oregon's governor from 1914 until his death in 1919. He was one of only two foreign-born Oregon governors. Born in Tavistock, England, he came to Oregon with his parents in 1871 at 17 years of age. He purchased a farm two years later and married Isabel Carpenter on June 5, 1875. He planted this redwood on their wedding day. Gov. Withycombe was known for his vision and commitment to making Oregon one of the country's greatest agricultural states.

The prominent monolith across the river was named Beacon Rock by Lewis and Clark, November 2, 1805. It marked the beginning of tidewater for early river explorers who used it for a landmark in their journeys. The Indians say that when the Chinook Winds blow softly up the river one can hear the wailings of unhappy, beautiful Wahatpolitan, the Indian maid who climbed the rock and perished with her child, when given to a chief other than the one she loved.
 

Captain George Vancouver in a voyage of exploration to the northwest coast of America ordered by the British Admiralty Office assigned Lieutenant William Robert Broughton, Commander of H.M.S. Chatham, to explore the navigable waters of the Columbia River with boat crews from his ship. This point marks the farthest inland reached by Broughton who camped overnight on an island within sight of this point on October 30, 1792.

Deer Island in the Columbia was named by the Lewis and Clark Expedition which stopped to dine here November 5, 1805 on its way down river. Homeward bound the explorers camped on the island on March 28,1806. Captain Clark recorded "This morning we set out very early and at 9 a.m. arrived at an old Indian village on NE side of Deer Island where we found our hunters had halted and left one man with the canoes at their camp. They arrived last evening and six of them turned out very early to hunt, at 10 a.m. They all returned to camp having killed seven deer.

Chief factor of the Hudson’s Bay Company at Fort Vancouver, philanthropist, and founder of Oregon City. The land on the east bank of the Willamette River at the falls was claimed by Dr. McLoughlin and the Hudson’s Bay Co. in 1828-29. First called Willamette Falls, the town was platted in 1842 and was named Oregon City by Dr. McLoughlin. Oregon City was the first incorporated U.S. city west of the Rocky Mountains, 1844. Provisional and Territorial Capital-1843-52, and the continuous Seat of Government for Clackamas County since 1843. Dr.

From 1845 to 1849, George Abernethy was the first Provisional Governor of the Oregon Country, which extended from the Pacific Ocean to the Rocky Mountains and from California to Northern British Columbia. After arriving in Oregon in 1840 as part of the Methodist Mission at Champoeg, he was involved in a series of meetings that ended in the celebrated May 2, 1843, vote to organize a Provisional Government under the United States rather than Great Britain.