Every business, institution and home sits on land. The land is divided into lots, with lines drawn…read moreby surveyors and a whole chain of legal documents. How did those lines get there? I learned about this from my surveyor http://www.yelp.com/biz/chase-jones-and-associates-portland. They got there from here. The entire Oregon Territory, which includes Washington, was surveyed from this single point set June 4, 1851. Why the surveyor did not choose Council Crest is a mystery. The Willamette Stone State Heritage Site has a parking lot on the South, wooded side of Skyline. There is a paved path with steps at the end to a concrete pad. Set in the center is a stainless steel marker for the Willamette Meridian - the North - South line, and the Willamette Baseline, the East - West line. There are a few benches, some inset lines and a plaque explaining the surveying system devised by Thomas Jefferson and used throughout the country, including here. You might think with GPS we would not need surveyors. Not so, surveyors work to an accuracy of 1/10 inch and GPS is 50-1000 times less accurate. So no, you cannot survey your land with your Garmin. And yes, current laser survey equipment is very accurate. Those laser measurements are based off this marker. Think about this, every property line, building location, road, pipe, utility pole, every elevation, anything built by humans in Oregon and Washington is legally defined by this marker. This is not the most exciting park. The Masons would totally vibe on this spot. If children take an interest in surveying or the geometry behind it, maybe there is a teaching moment here. Or if children become interested in land use law, this is part of that. Certainly it is an historic location. Not the most wheelchair accessible spot. The paved path is a moderate grade with a few bumps caused by roots under the asphalt. There are a few steps right above the marker pad, which can be viewed from there. There is a gravel path which bypasses the stairs. The Willamette Stone is where the lines we draw on land began. It's Oregon and Washington's belly button. No rush to visit, it will be there as long as we are here.

If you are looking for a beautiful hike in the woods, this is NOT the place to go. On the other…read morehand, if you're a history +/or geocaching geek, then geek out. The nearby cemetery is MUCH more interesting. Even better, the McCleay trail from the Pittock Mansion parking lot (the upper, corner of the paved lot), down to the Lower McCleay. Pros - Lots of parking - Historical Cons - Compared to other trails in the woods, this one is the pits!

I initially felt optimistic about enrolling my 8 year old child in lessons at French Hill. After…read moresharing that I had a beginner rider and a little bit about my child, I was told they had the availability to enroll in group lessons and the next step was to schedule an evaluation at which time we would discuss goals and schedule preferences. I should note that my daughter has done very well in previous horseback lessons and trail rides. When we arrived for the evaluation, instructor Chloe's intentions seemed to shift when she realized my child had a physical disability that causes her to walk differently although she still does so independently and is very capable. During the 20 mins that my daughter was given on the horse, Chloe asked only basic instruction which my child followed. We were then charged $110 for this brief session. After I made the payment, Chloe returned to her desk work without saying a word. When I inquired about next steps, I was rather callously told that our child wasn't ready for group lessons. When I asked for the reasoning, I was told that we could do private lessons. When I asked for more information on privates, Chloe said she would get back to me and had a "don't call us, we'll call you" tone. Chloe then emailed me to say they would not be able to offer private lessons to a beginner. I responded asking for further explanation which French Hill has not responded to. One in four people will encounter some form of disability in their lifetime, whether as a condition they are born with, due to injury, age, or some other issue. This is the reality we all face. I hope that the instructors and owners of French Hill will come to understand the impact of their words and actions if this becomes their reality. Recognizing a person's abilities and potential (especially when it is a child) rather than focusing on perceived differences is so important as is fostering inclusion, dignity and respect for everyone regardless of how they navigate the world.

My 8 year old daughter started her first regular horse lessons here over a years ago and she loves…read moreit. We did a camp and a few lessons at a place in Lake Oswego, but it never felt right there. Luckily we found French Hill! Leighanne, Chena, and other trainers are very personable, our daughter has learned so much, and she absolutely luvs it. She's been doing the shows (which my family knows nothing about) and they have made it so easy and a blast for our daughter too). They are flexible, and it's a relaxed atmosphere, while still being professional. FYI, the stables are well maintained, clean, and there's even a viewing room if you want to watch/wait during lessons (with A/C and heat!). It's a beautiful place with all kinds of wonderful horses and people!

Dr Dedeker is the best I've owned my business Sterling Silver Stable for 36 years. There isn't…read moreanyone else I would rather have working on my horses. She has kept no-show jumpers and hunters sound and winning for years.

Dr.Riffle came out to do a lameness exam on my mare. I have a regular DVM that I use but didn't…read morehave transportation for my mare. Dr.Riffle was very knowledgeable, kind, and on time. She was very reasonable about treatment options and confident in her assessment of my mare. I will definitely be using her again, I felt like she genuinely cares for her patients [just from talking with her] and that she's in this business to help horses and help people take care of their horses. I would definitely recommend her to all of my equine friends.

I cannot say enough good things about Candis! She has been watching my dog Oliver for about 2.5…read moreyears, and has always taken such good care of him. She updates me regularly (with pictures) and I've always been able to rest assured that he's in good hands while I'm away. I would HIGHLY recommend her!!

Candis is a pro when it comes to taking care of pets. My cats always look forward to her coming to…read morewatch them.

I needed a photographer for a lecture the very next morning and Aida saved the day. She was…read morecommunicative, easy to work with, and made sure she clearly understood what we were needing. She was punctual and efficient, sending me the photos just a week after the event. The photos exceeded my expectations and I would absolutely hire Aida for our next event.

Aida was amazing so professional, Absolutely recommend her…read more She was available in short notice ans made my day so stress free

The kids seemed to have a blast at camp so I'll definitely recommend this place. However, drop off…read moreis pain which is the reason for the 3 star rating. The Montessori next door blocks off the entire parking lot for their curbside drop off. The curbside line also blocks the adjacent lot as well! I don't see why they can't have vehicles use their marked stalls and actually park since they have signs to reserve over 80% of the stalls in their shared parking lot with Code Ninjas.

I am surprised by the lack of positive reviews for this place! Anytime I've needed to take my…read moreEnglish Golden Retriever to doggy daycare I have bought a package here. It's conveniently located next to where I live and the staff is always kind and friendly. In terms of facilities, there is an indoor area and an outdoor area for your puppy to play in. Whenever I have visited, there has always been a fair amount of dogs. I would estimate at least 5-10 dogs at the slower times and and at the busier times I've probably seen around 20-30 dogs hanging out there. Obviously lots of people feel safe and comfortable bringing their dogs here! I certainly do! My dog always comes back happy and tired from his full days of daycare here. I also love how quick and easy it is to drop him off and pick him up. There have been a few times I brought my dog in where I've been in a hurry and the staff just asks for my dog's name and I hand them the leash. Overall, I would recommend others to try Gone to the Dogs if you're looking for a reasonably priced doggy daycare in the area.

I have 2 puppers, one is super mellow and the other one is high, high energy. They don't agree…read moreabout much in life, but they do both love going to GTTD. As soon as get out of the car they both start pulling at the leash to get into the building. One thing I noticed that is super cute is they start sniffing at the leashes of the other dogs that's hanging next to the front counter. I think it's the dogs' way of finding out which buddies are there for the day. Please give my regards to Erin, one of my puppers has a crush on her!

I really enjoyed the energy of Meghan. She is attentive and knowledgeable. She never once made me…read moreor Bear feel uncomfortable or hopeless. She is flexible and makes weekly check ups on his progress. After a few encounters with Megan, Bear and I have enjoyed long walks, sit commands and are patiently waiting for those off the leash walks.