Portland became a city on January 14, 1851, when the territorial legislature granted it a charter. At that time, the city measured out at 2.1 …

Oregon History Project

Ernest Bloch, a Jewish immigrant who spent his final twenty years in Agate Beach, was recognized in his native Switzerland as a child prodigy on …

Oregon Encyclopedia

In her autobiography, Gert Boyle proffers “Ma Boyle’s Recipe for Success in Business.” The first ingredient is “Don’t give up.” That advice also tops the …

Oregon Encyclopedia

One of the oldest neighborhoods in Portland, Goose Hollow has a history that includes roving bands of geese, the Great Plank Road, a …

Oregon Encyclopedia

Lena Nemerovsky Kenin was born in Portland on November 5, 1897, the third youngest of six children born to David and Naomi (Swartz) Nemerovsky. Kenin …

Oregon Encyclopedia

Merchants, craftsmen, and other members of the middle class described churches as the center of social life. By the late 1850s, mainstream Protestant denominations—Methodists, Baptists, …

Oregon History Project

Beth Israel, organized in 1858, is Portland’s oldest Jewish congregation.  The members worshipped above commercial space on Front Street before moving to this synagogue on …

Oregon History Project

Adalbert G. Bettman was one of the first physicians in the West to specialize in reconstructive plastic surgery. His pioneering techniques won him national fame, …

Oregon Encyclopedia

Ancer L. Haggerty was the first African American to become a partner in a major Portland law firm and the first to serve as a …

Oregon Encyclopedia

Built when racing was popular among passenger steamboats, the stately Bailey Gatzert was a contender. It was one of the most famous Columbia River excursion …

Oregon Encyclopedia