History and Overview

Whether it is known as the City of Roses, the City of Bridges or any of a half-dozen other nicknames, Portland has come a long way from its humble beginnings.  More than 1.8 million people, about half of the state's population, reside within the six-county metro area.  Oregon's largest city got its start in 1843 when Massachusetts lawyer, Asa Lovejoy, and William Overton found a spot with deep water and abundant resources while canoeing on the Willamette River.  The partners filed a land claim for the surrounding 650 acres.  Overton eventually sold his half of the claim to Francis Pettygrove.  Pettygrove, a native of Main, wanted to name the spot Portland, while Lovejoy wanted to honor his hometown of Boston.   They decided settle their dispute with a coin toss.  Pettygrove won and the City of Portland was born.

Portland's early history is speckled with colorful characters.  The port city once was known as a place where unscrupulous sea captains could shanghai unwilling crew members.  Today, Portland has a far more upstanding image.  Downtown boasts a thriving shopping district that features plentiful parking amid neat streets lined with trees, flower boxes, sculptures and drinking fountains.  Bicycle racks and lockers are common sites in downtown, since many residents commute to work via their bicycles.

When it comes to work, Portlanders are employed in a variety of industries.  The majority are employed in the service, retail or high-tech manufacturing sectors.  In fact, high-tech companies are so prevalent in the region that it is referred to as the Silicon Forest.  Major technology companies in the area include Intel Corp., Tektronix Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co., and Sequent Computer Systems Inc.  Construction, education and health care also are thriving.  The import/export industry is growing, thanks to Portland's strategic location at the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette rivers and 65 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean.

Portland also is in a strategic location for recreation.  There are more than 37,000 acres of parks in the metro area alone, and the mountains and beaches are just a short drive away.  For those who choose to stay closer to home, there are a number of options.  Visitors can learn about the region's natural resources at the World Forestry Center, or see animals from across the globe at the Oregon Zoo.  The most extensive collection of American and European art in the Pacific Northwest can be found at the Portland Art Museum.  The city also is home to Powell's City of Books, the nation's largest bookstore. 

For an evening of music, dance or drama, try the Oregon Ballet Theater, Oregon Symphony, Portland Opera or Portland Center Stage.  The city also can lay claim to the first youth symphony in the country.  First Thursday is a treat for art enthusiasts that is becoming a social and cultural affair.  At least 15 galleries are included in this gallery crawl, which takes place at the beginning of every month.

The city has a number of festivals such as The Bite - a Taste of Portland, a three day event benefiting the Special Olympics that features food, wine and music.  The most elaborate and well known is the Portland Rose Festival with activities throughout the month of June.  More than 5,000 volunteers work to produce over 70 festival events, which include three parades, a waterfront carnival, an art show, concerts and sporting events.

After a long day at a festival, Portlanders can relax at one of the many coffee shops, microbreweries or brewpubs in the area.  With more microbreweries and brewpubs than any other city in the country, Portlanders can rightly claim that no matter where you are, you are never more than 10 to 15 minutes away from a custom-crafted beverage.

Medical Facilities

Portland has a reputation as the state's referral center for medical care.  Patients seeking treatment for advanced cancer, sever burns or cardiopulmonary disease generally find their way to facilities in the city.

Major health service providers such as Kaiser Permanente, Legacy Health System and Providence Health System operate several hospitals and medical centers in Portland.  Oregon Health Sciences University is an internationally known research facility with general hospital, children's hospital, child development and rehabilitation center and medical dental clinics.  Shriners Hospital for Children provides, at no cost, orthopedic and plastic surgery care to children with special needs.

Media

Media outlets in the Greater Portland area consist of seven commercial television stations, one PBS television station, 44 radio stations, 2 daily newspapers, 11 weekly newspapers, and four regional business publications.

Education

Portland residents take pride in their pro-active approach to education.  Parents take an active role in area schools by volunteering, while businesses can get involved through mentoring and tutoring programs.  Approximately 56,000 students are enrolled in the 100 schools of the Portland Public School System.  The district also has 50 special needs sites and offers magnet programs, Talented and Gifted programs and programs for the physically and mentally challenged students.

Finding day care or after school care has been simplified through the Metro Child Care Resources and Referral Service.  The computer database offers referrals to child care providers in Clackamas, Washington and Multnomah counties.

More than 30 diverse institutions of higher learning are located in Portland and Multnomah County.  Students can select a school ranging from Portland State University, an urban university with more than 14,700 students, to smaller private institutions such as Marylhurst University, Pacific University, Lewis & Clark College or Concordia College.  Reed College has produced 31 Rhodes Scholars and U.S. News & World Report has ranked Catholic University of Portland as one of the 15 best regional universities in the West.  There also are three community colleges in the area.

Climate

Residents of Portland and the surrounding areas enjoy a noticeable change of seasons and a moderate climate, with an average annual temperature of 53 degrees F.  Summer temperatures can climb into the 90's for short periods.  Generally, they are mild and dry, with averages comfortably in the 60 - 70 degree range from June through September.  Temperatures do drop off in the fall, with its average seasonal temperature of 54 degrees.  In winter, the average falls to 40 degrees.  And you have just a short drive to the surrounding mountains for skiing.  Despite the occasional snow, winter nights rarely fall below 30 degrees.  Spring showers and warming temperatures that average 51 degrees lead to an explosion of blossoming trees and shrubs in this season.  Despite its reputation for being damp in the fall, winder and spring, the area's average annual rainfall of about 37 to 41 inches is less than that in Boston, Washington D.C., or Atlanta. 

Sports

If you're looking for a place to cheer on the home team, Portland offers many options.  You can catch "Blazermania", the disease that afflicts dedicated fans of the city's NBA franchise, the Portland Trail Blazers.  The Trail Blazers play in the state-of-the-art Rose Garden, which seats more than 21,000.  Basketball fans also get fired up for the Portland Fire, the city's WNBA franchise.  Just for kicks, you can check out the Portland Pythons - a member of the Continental Indoor Soccer League.  

In June things speed up at the Portland International Raceway.  The Texaco/Havoline sponsored Budweiser/G.I. Joes 2000 is one of only 20 international Indy Car events in the FedEx Championship Series.  Other Rose Festival races include the PPG-Dayton Indy Lights, the Barber Dodge Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks.

Hockey fans can support the Portland Winter Hawks, a member of the Western Hockey League.  For a night at the ballpark, baseball fans can catch the Class A Portland Rockies or make a short trip to Seattle to watch the major league Mariners play.  For golfers, the Ping-Cellular One LPGA Golf Championship is held in the area each year.

College fans can cheer for the Portland State Vikings football team and University of Portland Pilots baseball team or enjoy the longstanding rivalry between the University of Oregon Ducks and the Oregon State University Beavers.

Housing

Cost-conscious consumers are finding much to brag about in Portland.  The cost of living here is lower than in other major West Coast cities such as Seattle, San Francisco or Los Angeles areas.  There is no sales tax in the state, and Oregon voters twice have voted for property tax cutting measures that have limited the amount of taxes and lowered the assessed value of homes for tax purposes.

New home construction is increasing in the Portland area, with the average price of a new 3-bedroom home in the metro area at $180,400 in 2003.  Potential homeowners have many options from which to choose.  Multiple-story homes with or without basements are popular here  Most new construction homes are made primarily of wood, with accents commonly made of native rock or brick.  Builders also are making efforts to preserve the character of the area, with many building row houses designed to complement the area's existing architecture.