Washington Park, Portland

Washington Park is a municipal and public park in Portland, Oregon located at which is roughly 1.5 miles (2 km) west of downtown Portland. It has diverse natural and developed features including a respected zoo, miles of trails (many through natural forest), famous rose gardens, an extensive arboretum, picnic areas, amphitheatre, playgrounds, archery range, tennis courts, a museum for children, and many acres of wild forest.

GEOGRAPHY

The park has 129.51 acres (52.41 hectares) on mostly steep, mostly wooded hillsides which range in elevation from 200 feet (24th & W Burnside) to 870 feet (SW Fairview Blvd.) (61 m to 265 m).

HISTORY

The City Of Portland purchased the original 40.78 acres in 1871 for $32,624: a controversially high price for the time. The area, designated "City Park", was wilderness with few roads: Thick brush, trees and roaming cougar discouraged access. In the mid 1880s, the park keeper—Charles M. Meyers—was hired. A former seaman without landscape training, he enthusiastically transformed the park by drawing on memories of his native Germany and European parks. By 1900, there were roads, trails, landscaped areas with lawns, manicured hedges, flower gardens—and a zoo. Cable cars improved access significantly; service began about 1890 and ended by the late 1930s. [http://www.trimet.org/inside/history/transitinportland.htm

In 1903, John C. Olmsted of Olmsted Brothers , a nationally known landscape architecture firm, recommended several changes to the park: separated roads and pedestrian paths, replace a few formal gardens with native species, move the main entrance to its present location on Park Place, and name it more distinctively.

When the county poor farm closed in 1922, the 160 acres were added to Washington Park.

Portland's Zoo was founded in Washington Park in 1887 near where the reservoirs are now. It moved in 1925 to the present site of the Japanese Garden, and moved again in 1959 to its present location at the park's southern edge.

CHARACTERISTICS

Many park features have their own Wikipedia entry. The subtitles are links.

Oregon Zoo

More than a thousand animals of more than 200 species (including 21 endangered species) in natural or semi-natural habitats are on display. The world's most successful Asian elephant breeding program and largest elephant in the U.S. can be found here. An admission of up to $9.50 is charged.
high rises of Mount Hood from Washington Park amphitheatre]]

International Rose Test Garden

The oldest official, continuously-operated, public rose test garden in the United States displays more than 7,000 rose plants of more than 500 varieties. Free admission.

Portland Japanese Garden

A traditional Japanese garden of 5.5 acres located in a secluded, tree shrouded, fold of the hills. It is the top ranked Japanese garden outside Japan of the 300 such gardens studied by ''The Journal of Japanese Gardening''. An admission of up to $8 is charged.

Hoyt Arboretum

Home to about 10,000 individual trees and shrubs of 1,100 species on 185 ridge top acres. There are many mature species thanks to its founding in 1928. Tree viewing, tour guides and admission (to the visitor center) are all free.

World Forestry Center

The center has offered educational exhibits on forests and forest-related subjects since 1906. Permanent exhibits explore the traits of forests around the world. Transient exhibits have featured art (usually related to nature), ecology, wildlife, and woodcrafts. An admission of not more than $7 is charged.

Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Nestled at the edge of serene Hoyt Arboretum, the memorial was dedicated in 1987 to honor Oregonians who gave their lives or who are missing in action. Free admission.

Portland Children's Museum

Reopened in 2001, kids of all ages discover changing displays and hands-on activities such as clay, painting, digging, climbing, and costuming. Located across from the zoo, an admission of not more than $7 is charged.

Statues and fountains

='' Lewis And Clark Memorial''

Dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt on May 21 1903 to honor the discovery of the northwest. Located at the park entrance.

The plaque on the base reads
:Erected by citizens of Oregon to commemorate the achievements of
:captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark
:who, with the encouragement and under the direction of the
:president of the United States Thomas Jefferson, started from
:St. Louis May 14, 1804 and through many hardships penetrated the
:vast continental wilderness to the Pacific Ocean at the mouth
:of the Columbia River and returning September, 1806, gave to
:the pioneers a pathway, and to the nation, the Oregon Country.
: Begun 1904 Dedicated 1906
''(punctuation and mixed case added)''

=''Coming of White Man''

A bronze statue of two Native Americans, one depicting Chief Multnomah. Sculpted by Herman A. MacNeil in 1904. It faces east along the Oregon Trail .

='' Sacajawea ''

This statue is of the famed Shoshone native American woman who guided the Lewis And Clark Expedition through the mountains. A massive bronze and copper piece unveiled on July 7 1905 at the Lewis and Clark centennial, it was sculpted by Denver resident Alice Cooper and cast in New York. It was the first U.S. statue to feature a woman.

It is located along the entrance road.

=''Chiming Fountain''

Named for the sound the falling water makes, it is also known as ''The Washington Park Fountain''. It is an ornate concrete, bronze and iron fountain with gargoyles. Created in 1891 by Swiss artisan woodcarver Hans Staehli in the style of a Renaissance fountain. It is located just inside the main entrance loop.

Children's Playground

Also known as the ''Rose Garden Children's Park'', it was completed in 1995 with $2 million in donations. It is located a few minutes walk below the rose garden. It is handicapped accessible, and has a map suitable for the blind, restrooms and picnic shelter. Free.

Oregon Holocaust memorial

]]
Dedicated August 29 2004 to the Jewish victims of World War II . Located in a secluded cusp of the park, near the junction of the old and new entrances. Free admission.

Directions are here (as pdf)

Amphitheater

Located within the International Rose Test Garden . Admission is usually free, except certain scheduled events.

Picnic areas

There are at least six developed picnic areas with tables, and numerous suitable lawns. Two are near the park entrance; another three are near the Rose Garden; and one is across the road from the arboretum visitor center. The arboretum and Children's Park have a few sheltered tables. Free.

Washington Park And Zoo Railroad

This railroad is 1950s era scale railroad carrying passengers between the Rose Garden end of the park and the zoo during the summer months. At other times of the year it operates only within the zoo. A ticket costs up to $3.50, but zoo admission is required.

Trail system

An extensive network of trails within the park interconnects with other city trails. One trail connects to Forest Park ; other trails connect to other peaks along the west hills. The bulk of the trails are unpaved, bare forest soil and pine or fir needles. Select portions are paved, suitable for wheelchairs, particularly near the arboretum visitor center. Other portions are open to horses and/or bicycles. All trail use is free.

There is nearly completed 140+ mile loop trail (called ''The 40 Mile Loop'' for historical reasons) which circles Portland and traverses the length of Washington Park on the ''Wildwood Trail'' for 23 miles (37 km). {Link without Title}

Archery range

Hay bales and a steep forest backstop provide safety and easy retrieval at the edge of a large field located on SW Kingston Drive midway between the rose garden and the zoo. Free.

Tennis courts

is (off frame) to the left; International Rose Test Garden is to the right except a few rose beds surround the tennis courts.]]
There are six lighted tennis courts near the rose garden. Most of the courts are surrounded by rose beds. Free.

REFERENCES AND EXTERNAL LINKS

Information About

Washington Park, Portland