I made a mistake last week in calling Portland, a bustling small city...in fact, it's a very mid size city-#23 in 2006 population census, just a bit behind Baltimore, Maryland.
It is a Pioneer town with references everywhere- Pioneer Courthouse Square, a beloved public space today & Pioneer Place, a unique downtown mall that houses Saks, J.Crew and others are among the "pioneer" names.
The city was founded around 1845. Portland grew so fast that tree stumps were left in the middle of the roads because no one could spare the time to tend to their removal. Local residents quickly found they could jump from stump to stump and stay above the muddy, unpaved streets -- hence the name "Stumptown." They went so far as to whitewash the stumps to make them more visible. The late 1860's began a cultural heyday and at the same time, the waterfront developed & soon was crammed with saloons, rooming & bawdy houses. A business boom hit in the late 1870's with the construction of banks, warehouses, transportation companies.
The photos below are taken downtown near the waterfront, which to me, looks like the oldest part of town. The buildings are beautiful and majestic. I love the details on their facades.
It is a Pioneer town with references everywhere- Pioneer Courthouse Square, a beloved public space today & Pioneer Place, a unique downtown mall that houses Saks, J.Crew and others are among the "pioneer" names.
The city was founded around 1845. Portland grew so fast that tree stumps were left in the middle of the roads because no one could spare the time to tend to their removal. Local residents quickly found they could jump from stump to stump and stay above the muddy, unpaved streets -- hence the name "Stumptown." They went so far as to whitewash the stumps to make them more visible. The late 1860's began a cultural heyday and at the same time, the waterfront developed & soon was crammed with saloons, rooming & bawdy houses. A business boom hit in the late 1870's with the construction of banks, warehouses, transportation companies.
The photos below are taken downtown near the waterfront, which to me, looks like the oldest part of town. The buildings are beautiful and majestic. I love the details on their facades.
1 comment:
Huh... "Stumptown." Who knew?
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