Category: Fun Facts
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Fun Fact #87 Where did Buffalo Bill and other circuses set up in the early 1900s Portland?
Read more: Fun Fact #87 Where did Buffalo Bill and other circuses set up in the early 1900s Portland?Answer: Between NW Pettigrove & Raleigh Streets at NW 25th. Future site of Wallace Park was the circus grounds. Before it became the neighborhood green space we know today, the land that is now Wallace Park had a much wilder history: it was once a favorite location for traveling circuses visiting Portland. Thanks to rare photographs from local private collections,…
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FF# 90 Old Couch School Becomes a FireTrap
Read more: FF# 90 Old Couch School Becomes a FireTrapThe Forgotten History of Portland’s Old Couch School: From Pioneer Beginnings to “Firetrap” This is an updated version of “Old Couch School Becomes a FireTrap” article Tanya Lyn March wrote for NW Examiner, September 2018, pp 9-10. A descendant of a woman that graduated in class of 1912 reached out compelling our team to revisit the narrative – unearthing a…
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FF#89 Who are the street named for? Part One ABCs.
Read more: FF#89 Who are the street named for? Part One ABCs.Streets of the Alphabet District After rolling out the new website this week the page with this street name information was ghosted. For a decade we use to print out this list of street name attributes for our guests. After COVID paper became less of a thing. A frequently asked question: “Where is the A street?” It is located south…
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FF#87 Why did the remains of a woman who died in Italy in 96 A.D. come to rest in Northwest Portland?
Read more: FF#87 Why did the remains of a woman who died in Italy in 96 A.D. come to rest in Northwest Portland?An update to the article originally printed in the NW Examiner (April 2018) by Tanya Lyn March. Remains of Ancient Martyr Find Their Way to Slabtown Why did the remains of a woman who died in Italy in 96 A.D. come to rest in Northwest Portland? Saint Flavia Domitilla, the granddaughter of Roman Emperor Vespasian, was purportedly martyred for aiding…
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Fun Fact Pre #1 Mike Ryerson
Read more: Fun Fact Pre #1 Mike RyersonThe Origin Story of Slabtown Tours Northwest Portland Champion Mike Ryerson 1940-2015 In 2012 Mike Ryerson felt that his friend Tanya March was not using her education to its fullest. Mike Ryerson was born in Northwest Portland in 1940, a fourth-generation resident of the neighborhood. He had just lost a long time job and wanted to start a new…
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FUN FACT #85 Marking the Unmarked: Who Lies Beside Reverend Daniel Drew?
Read more: FUN FACT #85 Marking the Unmarked: Who Lies Beside Reverend Daniel Drew?The Soldier, The Minister, and His Silent Neighbors If you wander through the Historic Columbian Cemetery in North Portland—also known over the years as Love, Columbia, or Columbia Slough Cemetery—you will find along the road side fence a simple veteran’s marker for a man whose life spanned the most transformative eras of American history. The Department of Veterans Affairs often…
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Fun fact #84The Great Curb Guard Disappearing Act
Read more: Fun fact #84The Great Curb Guard Disappearing ActFF #84: In the world of urban history, the sidewalk isn’t just concrete—it’s a time capsule. These “hidden histories” are vanishing. Remember those metal curb guards? Between age, neglect, and necessary ADA ramp upgrades, these iron relics are becoming a rare breed. If you missed it, check out this classic video by Berkeley and Tanya from five years ago –…
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Fun Fact #83 A Century Old Theater in Nob Hill
Read more: Fun Fact #83 A Century Old Theater in Nob HillWhere could you go in NW Portland in the 1920s to experience a Spiritualist Service? In January 1927, you could attend a service by one of the world’s most famous spiritualist mediums, Arthur Ford, at The State Theater [The original name of Cinema 21]. Advertisements in The Sunday Oregonian promoted his lectures. Preforming as Dr. Ford “The Miracle Man” he…
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Fun Fact #82 Why were Portlanders wearing face masks in 1980?
Read more: Fun Fact #82 Why were Portlanders wearing face masks in 1980?Why were Portlanders wearing face masks in 1980? Portlanders wore face masks in 1980 to avoid breathing in volcanic ash. Following the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18th, 1980 the wind blew east sparing the city until the wind shifted. The eruption released a massive ash cloud that spread across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. While Portland was…
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Fun Fact #81 “The Cut” is not a natural ravine.
Read more: Fun Fact #81 “The Cut” is not a natural ravine.Why was Portland’s Mayor against the construction of “The Cut”? Portland’s mayor Henry Lane’s strongly opposed giving SP&R a franchise in 1906. SP&R had opted to create a trench rather than a tunnel. Lane declared this proposal “a defacement of property and a visual blight [an] out-and-out give-away…destroy the unity of the neighborhood.” Portland City Council members overrode the Mayor’s…
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FUN FACT #80 What career path led J.T. McCready to be a hotelier?
Read more: FUN FACT #80 What career path led J.T. McCready to be a hotelier?Last Updated on June 29, 2026 Fun Fact #80 Isn’t it fascinating to discover the unexpected paths people take in life? Today’s fun fact dives into the story of Mrs. J.T. McCready, the woman who ran the only official hotel of the 1905 Fair right here in Portland! What surprising career journey led Mrs. McCready to become a hotelier for such a…
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Fun Fact #79 Which equine autobiography was first published in Portland, Oregon?
Read more: Fun Fact #79 Which equine autobiography was first published in Portland, Oregon?Which equine autobiography was first published in Portland, Oregon? A: Black Beauty (1877) B: Strider: The Story of a Horse (1886) C: Princess Trixie (1905) D: War Horse (1982) Answer Princes Trixie: Queen of all Educated Horses Autobiography: an accurate account of the sayings and doings of the wisest and most highly educated horse in the world. Free link to…
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Fun Fact #78 But did you know that one of her more than twenty science fiction novels is set right here in Portland?
Read more: Fun Fact #78 But did you know that one of her more than twenty science fiction novels is set right here in Portland?Ursula K. Le Guin a visionary writer whose groundbreaking works redefined science fiction and fantasy. She won numerous prestigious awards, including a National Book Award and multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards, and was even a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Le Guin’s influence extends far beyond genre fiction—her thought-provoking storytelling tackled themes of gender, power, and society, inspiring generations of…
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Fun Fact #77 Who was the First American Woman Impresario?
Read more: Fun Fact #77 Who was the First American Woman Impresario?Fun Fact #77 Who was the first woman in the United States to manage a series of musical concerts, bringing international talent to cities across the Pacific Northwest from 1902 to 1936? Lois Steer, a trailblazing impresario and visionary in the world of music, was the first woman in the United States to manage and promote musicians and musical concerts…
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Fun Fact #76 Did the Zamboni Break Down?
Read more: Fun Fact #76 Did the Zamboni Break Down?No, the Zamboni didn’t break down. This image from The Oregon Daily Journal on January 13, 1918, shows a crew resurfacing the ice at the NW Marshall Street Rink. It highlights an early improvement over previous methods, which relied entirely on manual labor. Before the Zamboni was invented, ice resurfacing at natural and mechanical rinks involved pulling a scraper behind…
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Fun Fact #75 Portland Firsts
Read more: Fun Fact #75 Portland FirstsThese First were presented in 1912 Portland City Wide Firsts Timeline All Entries Much Abbreviated from A.L. Barbur entry in The Greater Portland Plan: and Municipal Facts published October 1912 1843 The city [of Portland] was founded by Wm. Overton was named by F.W. Pettygrove after his native town of Portland, Maine [1845]. 1847 Dr. Ralph Wilcox [the…
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Fun Fact #74 Part Two of Recycle, Reuse Repurpose, Ravage
Read more: Fun Fact #74 Part Two of Recycle, Reuse Repurpose, Ravage“Fun Fact” Urban Legend #74 North Portland community members distraught over pool closures rehash a mysterious source of parts repurposed to facilitate original construction of Pier Park Pool. What was the source of those now failed parts? According to Urban Legend a liberty ship – if that’s true maybe original parts were replace because the timeline for use of parts…
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Fun Fact #73 Part One of Recycle, Reuse Repurpose, Ravage
Read more: Fun Fact #73 Part One of Recycle, Reuse Repurpose, RavageFun Fact #73 Question: To what city did the 1905 Lewis & Clark Exhibition water tower relocate? Answer: St. Johns Part One Of Reuse Repurpose, Ravage My fascination with water towers was kindled during my Place Matter employment. One of the nominated locations was a PWA era public pool, in Harlem NYC. The local narrative iterated by elders was…
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Fun Fact #72 Which fast food chain opened their first first Oregon location on Foster Road?
Read more: Fun Fact #72 Which fast food chain opened their first first Oregon location on Foster Road?Which fast food chain opened their first first Oregon location on Foster Road? A. Burger King B. Kentucky Fried Chicken C. In-N-Out Burger D. Burgerville The answer to our trivia question – Which fast food chain opened their first Oregon location on Foster Road? – is B. Kentucky Fried Chicken. Pre-KFC Here’s a fascinating tidbit: Because of Oregon’s unique history…
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Fun Fact #71 How many city parks were combined to create Forest Park in 1947?
Read more: Fun Fact #71 How many city parks were combined to create Forest Park in 1947?Updated 6-19-2025 New Image Fun Fact #71 How many city parks were combined to create Forest Park in 1947? Answer: Four Parks #1 Macleay Park Macleay Park, Georg F. Holman Park, Clark & Wilson Park (O.M. Clark Park) Linnton Park (Pioneer Park) Forest Park was once Native American land. By 1847, squatters had already settled on the land, a practice…
