This monument or memorial is a 34 foot tall rectangular granite shaft…read more Each side of the base has the seal of Oregon, Washington, Montana, and Idaho - the only parts of the United States that were "acquired by discovery" rather than being under a foreign flag. Emphasis on the quotes there, as we all know there's more to the history than that with regards to the people who were already present on these lands. It's a nice monument, if plain. It has a good view. It's fairly easy to get to. There are some picnic tables and tall douglas firs nearby. It's a shame that some people have put graffiti on it and that it's not been cleaned up yet.

It was a big deal in Portland when the centennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition came around,…read more it hosted a big fair (not actually a worlds fair but big), and people built this monument. Located inside the turnaround (or as the Portland Parks web page calls it " the main circle of the park") as you enter Washington Park from downtown at the peak of the hill. as monuments go this one is kind of basic a 34 foot rectangular granite shaft on a brick base that has the seals of Oregon,Washington, Idaho and Montana. The Monument is great for other things, for one its views of downtown and on clear days Mt Hood. it is surrounded by grass and trees with lots of Picnic tables and a bit down the path into the park there is a nice playground. Fun fact. President Theodore Roosevelt came to Portland to lay the cornerstone.

A busy bridge, somewhat minimalist and unremarkable in architecture, the Morrison connects Belmont…read moreSt to downtown, and allows on-ramp access to the highways. The highlight of the bridge, for me, is literally the nightly lights displayed on the side. They'll be colored to fit with a theme or event like a local sports team's win or an awareness month. It adds a night element to the river view at night!

Of all the bridges in Portland, and there are 12, I travel the Morrison Bridge the most. Centrally…read morelocated with convenient drop offs onto I-5 and I-84 from central downtown, I am on this bridge constantly! The good news, is I am typically going in the opposite direction of traffic making this bridge a fast and efficient Way to get to my gym on the east side in the morning. When I lived on the east side and commuted to Hillsboro, I didn't like this bridge too much! Because I was always in traffic. But that isn't the fault of the bridge. It's a nice wide street with beautiful views looking north or south and great vistas of the downtown buildings and Tom McCall Park where so many festivals take place. I've also walked across the Morrison many times and I really enjoy it. The walkway is wide, there are ramps on either end making the incline super easy. On the south side there are also stairways. The view from up top is beautiful, especially in a blue sky day and in the fall. I especially like looking over the lush green hill at Tom McCall Park. Today it was sunny then instantly turned to rain, but it was still gorgeous with the huge expanse of storm clouds as a backdrop to the Willamette and downtown. Only once in 20 years was I on the bridge when it stopped to open. It's a drawbridge and I was the first car stopped behind the opening and it was truly incredible. Also a little intimidating since I drive a tiny Smart car!

Chiming Fountain has several layers of bronze pans from which water flows. Gargoyles surround the…read morebase spout. The city paid $400 for this in 1891. It was designed in the style of a renaissance fountain. Originally it was painted white and had a boy with a staff on top. The staff went missing in 1912. Then the boy was destroyed in 1920s during freezing weather. The fountain went into disrepair by 1960, when the city considered scrapping it. Instead, it was repaired for around $1800. Nowadays the fountain is still there, though in my opinion it could use a little more care to restore it and make it a landmark worth lingering at.

This fountain is located on the hill inside the turn around entrance to Washington Park coming from…read moredowntown. It is named for the sound the water makes dropping from one pan to another. It is a simple fairly classic fountain surrounded by park. Fun Fact it was going to be removed until Francis J. Murnane, a local Longshoreman fought to have it saved, I like that story as it shows that in local politics one person can make a difference.

This review is for the Marquam Bridge or what I like to call Portland's concrete beast cutting…read morestraight through downtown. First things first: this is a double-decker monster. Northbound rides the top, southbound ducks underneath, and if you're not paying attention, this bridge will humble you real quick. You don't just drive it you navigate it. Lanes split, merge, and shift like a shell game, and if you need to exit, you better be in position early... or you're taking the scenic tour whether you planned to or not. Built back in 1966, this thing came in hot as Portland's first double-deck freeway bridge, slapped together for about $14 million and designed purely for function over beauty. And it shows. No frills, no charm just raw steel and purpose. Today, it's the busiest bridge in Oregon, hauling well over 140,000 cars a day like it's got something to prove. But here's the flip side step back and look at it from downtown, and it's massive. Not pretty, not elegant just imposing. Roads feeding into it from every direction, stacked layers of traffic moving like arteries through the city. And somehow, despite all that chaos, it sits high enough that the roar fades out. You see it more than you hear it, like a giant quietly doing its job. It's not the bridge you fall in love with. It's the one you learn to respect.

I always get hit with a bit of anxiety when I have to traverse the Marquam Bridge. Because I…read morerarely drive anymore, I feel like I'm always in the wrong lane at the last minute and the signs aren't that great. Secondly, aesthetically, it's the least pleasing bridge in Portland. Planning for the bridge began in 1956 but construction on the double-deck, cantilever bridge finished in February 1966. It linked the northern end southbound interstate systems. It's a utilitarian, workhorse bridge. No frills. It's the busiest bridge in Oregon carrying over 200,000 vehicles a day on average. It's aesthetic was met with such disdain that future bridges such as the Fremont required public input. 2025 - Review # 16

Its funny, I didn't register this as art. I have walked past it many times and seen it but not…read morepaid to much attention to it. It is near where there is or at least used to be a sign about the sewer project sending pipes under the river and I thought this was a segment to show what it was like. now that I have stopped and looked at it I realized it couldn't be. I still am not a fan. Echo Gate is located on the noisiest section of the river walk. You can really hear the traffic on the Morrison Bridge overhead. Its symbolism has to do with Portland history. I would rather have some sculptures of fish and deer reminding me of the past, They look better, If I hadn't done research I would never have guest there was a message,

This is a strange sculpture right under the Morrison Bridge, where it is noisy with the traffic…read moregoing overhead and is curious. I tried simple Google searches to find out the story, and no real description of what it represents comes up. I found it while walking the Eastbank Esplanade one rainy November morning while looking for the Vera Katz Statue. I am glad I did. Any way, it is nice to stop, look at it and contemplate, I don't know, maybe the meaning of life? How life is really just an echo of the past? The gate going from one stage of life to another? A gate where you leave the echoes of the past behind? Or just carry on with your walk/bike ride/run. Whatever. Don't litter!

Jackson Tower, formerly the Oregon Journal Building, is a 12-story office building located in…read moredowntown Portland that was built in 1912. It was originally built for the Oregon Journal. The base of the building measures 100 ft x 100 ft. There are 1,800 light bulbs that screw into the facade and illuminates the clock tower after da There is a two level parking garage available for monthly parking located in the basement of this building. Fun fact: Jackson Tower was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Jackson Tower was originally home to the Oregon Journal. that was along time ago now it is an…read moreoffice building, I like the clock on top, and the whole building really. It looks nice at night when all the lights are turned on (the building has lots of small lights highlighting its lines) It originaly had even more but I am glad for the ones that survive.

When Mercy Corps bought their new building and filed plans to expand it Saturday Market was in…read moretrouble, they were loosing most of the land they were located on. The city came to the rescue building the big glass awnings over this part of Waterfront park and built This fountain as well. There are two parts to the fountain there is the part under the awning which gets shut off when the market is going and a part to the south with steps/benches that stays on. The water pasterns are affected by what people do. Every time I have walked past this summer someone has been playing in it, usually more then one person.

It's a great fountain. Actually there are two parts. One is on the platform that is shaded and…read moreanother that is not shaded next to the steps. It's definitely fun. I will say so that the sewage plant right next to it is a complete deal breaker because it smells SO BAD. I don't know who the heck came up with that idea but it sure is a bad one. Fortunately, Portland has a bunch of other fountains and splash pads so it's not too bad. I just don't get how people who shop/sell at Saturday Market can stand the smell.

This building is from the time when banks built temple like edifices to convince people that they…read morecould trust the bank with all their money. with big columns front and back, huge bronze doors that are works of art, marble floors and symbolism everywhere it is amazing, Inside there are cream columns holding up the upper floors, brass and marble everywhere and more symbols then you can take it it is beautiful. Rumor is their is an incredible boardroom upstairs (I would love to see that!) By famous Portland architect A. E. Doyle. . It is on the National Register of Historic Places since 1986

A bank built like a fortress with the large columns is beautiful and awesome to behold when walking…read morethru the massive Brass doors? I need only do Business here from time to time whenever I plan a foreign trip? And that is they have an excellent foreign money exchange here and useful too on my return to change foreign currency left over back into US Dollars? However they will not exchange coin back into US ? Which is why I will leave 4 stars****! ?