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Portland ( / ˈpɔːrtlənd / PORT-lənd) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated in the northwestern area of the state at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, it is the county seat of Multnomah County, Oregon's most populous county.
Discover Portland's vibrant neighborhoods, diverse culture, outdoor attractions and culinary scene. Find events, activities, resources and tips for planning your trip to the Rose City.
May 3, 2024 · Hop on a bicycle and explore the most fun (and funky) things to do in Portland, Oregon – from breweries and rose gardens to the nearby Columbia River Gorge.
- Overview
- History
- The contemporary city
Portland, city, seat (1854) of Multnomah county, northwestern Oregon, U.S. The state’s largest city, it lies just south of Vancouver, Washington, on the Willamette River near its confluence with the Columbia River, about 100 miles (160 km) by river from the Pacific Ocean. Portland is the focus of a large surrounding urban area that, in addition to ...
The Lewis and Clark Expedition passed near the site on the Columbia River in 1805–06. The city was laid out in 1845 and, after two of its early citizens flipped a penny, was named for Portland, Maine, rather than Boston, Massachusetts. Early growth was stimulated by a number of gold rushes and the flow of immigrants along the Oregon Trail. Portland attracted a large population of Chinese immigrants. The city’s area grew in the 1890s when it annexed surrounding communities, and the 1905 exposition celebrating the 100th anniversary of Lewis’s and Clark’s arrival brought the city national attention. Portland’s position at the junction of the Columbia River and the main north-south route from California to Puget Sound made it a valuable commercial centre handling the farm and forest produce of the Cascade Range, Willamette River valley, and Columbia River basin. The construction of deepwater port facilities capable of harbouring oceangoing vessels, the completion of the Northern Pacific transcontinental railroad, and the introduction of cheap hydroelectric power encouraged industry, and during World War II Portland was a major shipbuilding centre. Successful urban revitalization programs were undertaken in the 1970s and ’80s.
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High-technology industries and electronics manufacturing, including software development, computer services, and the production of computers, computer equipment, and measuring instruments, are a major part of Portland’s economy. Other manufactures include shoes and apparel, trucks and truck parts, paper products and packaging, aerospace equipment, machinery, and metals and metal products. Food processing, printing and publishing, and services such as health care, education, distribution, and tourism are also important. The city has an international airport, and its port is one of the country’s largest handlers of wheat and automobile shipments.
This heavily forested city contains more than 14 square miles (36 square km) of parkland, including the 5,000-acre (2,000-hectare) Forest Park on the northwest side. The International Rose Test Garden (established in 1917), with hundreds of varieties of roses, is one of several cultivated green spaces throughout the city; there is also an arboretum, a botanic garden, and Chinese and Japanese gardens. The Grotto is a Roman Catholic shrine of gardens and religious statues. Seventeen bridges cross the city’s waterways. Portland is the home of the National Basketball Association’s Trail Blazers. Educational institutions include the University of Portland (1901), Concordia University (1905), Reed College (1908), Lewis and Clark College (1867), Warner Pacific College (1937), Portland State University (1946), Portland Community College (1961), Cascade College (1993; a centre of the University of Oregon), and Oregon Health and Science University.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Washington Park, a calm place to visit in Portland, OR. Washington Park is a beautiful public urban park and one of Portland’s main attractions. It has a little bit of everything – gardens, monuments, recreation areas, public art, and miles of forest trails.
- Pittock Mansion, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Portland. Not far from Washington Park, you’ll find Pittock Mansion, one of the top tourist attractions in Portland, Oregon.
- Lan Su Chinese Garden, the most beautiful place to visit in downtown Portland. Another beautiful Portland tourist spot is the Lan Su Chinese Garden. Located in the city’s Chinatown neighborhood, the 40,000 ft² walled garden provides a tranquil escape from the busy streets.
- Visit Pioneer Courthouse Square, one of the best things to do in Portland. Pioneer Courthouse Square is an outdoor area known as “Portland’s Living Room.”
May 12, 2024 · Portland. Portland, with a 2020 population of 652,503 within its city limits and 2,226,009 in the seven-county metropolitan area, was platted on the west bank of the Willamette River in 1845 on lands used traditionally by Multnomah Chinooks. The area received its first few dozen English-speaking settlers in 1846.
A comprehensive travel guide and a collection of tips for visiting Portland, Oregon, from the experts at Condé Nast Traveler.
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