07.02.2024

Today’s Forecast

77º | 10% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 5:26 a.m. | Sunset 9:02 p.m.
Full Weather Report | Traffic Report

Here’s the skinny

Portland decades: the 1970s

People sit on the upper levels of a sprawling concrete fountain as water flows over its many ledges.

The Auditorium Forecourt Fountain, later renamed the Ira Keller Fountain, was an instant success when it opened in 1970. | Photo via Portland City Archives

Discomania, demolition, and the rise of “youth culture” — these were some of Portland’s defining characteristics during the 1970s. The New York Times described the city as having a “scattered, bomb-site look” as old buildings were torn down for new developments, but amid the urban turmoil, the Portland we know today was finding its feet.

Population: 382,619

Mayor: Terrence Doyle “Terry” Schrunk (1957-1972), Neil Goldschmidt (1973-1979)

A black-and-white aerial image of city roadways, the Fremont Bridge, and the Willamette River. — The Fremont Bridge was Oregon’s longest bridge and the second-longest tied-arch bridge in the world when it opened in 1973.
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Photo via Portland City Archives

1970: In May, PSU students occupy the South Park Blocks in protest of the Vietnam War and the killing of students at Kent State University. The replica Liberty Bell outside Portland City Hall is destroyed by a bomb on Nov. 21.

1971: A man calling himself Dan Cooper boards a Seattle-bound plane at Portland International Airport on Nov. 24. He claims to have a bomb on board, ransoms the passengers for $200,000, four parachutes, and a flight to Mexico City, then jumps from the plane somewhere over Southwest Washington and is never seen again.

1972: On April 5, the deadliest tornado ever recorded west of the Rocky Mountains touches down just west of PDX airport, travels across the Columbia River, and rips through Vancouver.

1973: The Fremont Bridge opens on Nov. 15.

1974: Mayor Goldschmidt declares Sept. 20 “James Beard Day” in honor of culinary expert and cookbook author James Beard, who was born in Portland.

1975: Soccer City, USA is born with the Portland Timbers’ formation. The club’s first season ended with 16 wins and six losses.

A small, circular patch of dirt filled with plants within a concrete median bears a tiny sign that reads "Mill Ends Park, World's Smallest." — Mill Ends Park on the day it officially became a city park — St. Patrick’s Day, 1976.
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Photo via Portland City Archives

1976: Work begins on the downtown Portland Transit Mall in April 1976 (it’s completed by the end of the following year).

1977: The Portland Trail Blazers win their first-and-only NBA Championship.

1978: Southwest Harbor Drive is replaced by Waterfront Park (it was renamed Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park in 1984).

1979: The Portland Police Bureau reactivates a mounted patrol unit.

Events

Wednesday, July 3

Adam Glick | Wednesday, July 3 | 7 p.m. | Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing, 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton | Free | Hear from the chef, globe-trotter, and author of “Live Free, Eat Well” — an instruction manual for cooking restaurant-worthy meals outside or while traveling.

Thursday, July 4

Waterfront Blues Festival | Thursday, July 4-Sunday, July 7 | 11 a.m.-11 p.m. | Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 1400 SW Naito Pkwy., Portland | $50+ | Treat yourself to a good time along the river at downtown Portland’s “largest and longest-running music festival” featuring world-class musicians, fireworks, and food.

Friday, July 5

Zoo Nights | Friday, July 5 | 5-9 p.m. | Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Rd., Portland | $21-$26 | Spend a summer evening outside with good food, activities for all ages, live music, and opportunities to meet animals that are active during twilight hours.
Portland Thorns vs. San Diego Wave | Friday, July 5 | 7 p.m. | Providence Park, 1844 SW Morrison St., Portland | $25-$159 | Show up and support the home team as they chart a course to another win against a team they haven’t seen since the preseason.

Saturday, July 6

St. Johns Farmers Market | Saturday, July 6 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m. | North Charleston Avenue and Central Street, Portland | Free | Stock up on farm-fresh produce for your weekend cooking needs, shop for handcrafted goods like pottery, or order food to go.

Sunday, July 7

Free First Sunday | Sunday, July 7 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, 724 NW Davis St., Portland | Free | Learn about the legacy of the Jewish experience in Oregon and the Holocaust on opening day of the center’s summer exhibitions.

Events calendar here

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Try This

🛸 Celebrate World UFO Day with this out-of-this-world exhibit

a gif featuring images of the Area 51 Encounter

Prepare to surround yourself with the history and mysteries of non-human visitors to our planet. | Photos courtesy of Area 51 Encounter; GIF by PDXtoday

ICYMI, today is World UFO Day, commemorating the unusual sightings of UFOs in Roswell, NM in 1947. Read: The best excuse to head to the Area 51 Encounter exhibit when it opens tomorrow Wednesday, July 3.

Featuring a mix of comprehensive information and engaging visuals, this must-see exhibit is for extraterrestrial believers, UFO aficionados, and skeptics alike. The exhibit is open daily: Sunday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. + Friday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Grab tickets

News Notes

Weather

The Fourth of July could usher in the summer’s first heatwave and potentially record-breaking temperatures. Thursday is forecasted to crack the 90s and KGW issued a Weather Impact Alert for Friday through Sunday — when temperatures may hit 95 degrees or higher. Stay cool at a pool or splash pad. (KGW)

Community

Portlanders looking to beat the heat by taking a dip will need to avoid Pier Pool on North Bristol Avenue. Portland Parks & Recreation said the 84-year-old pool is closed for an undisclosed amount of time “due to a significant water line failure.” Eight other public pools are currently open. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)

Sports

Artistic gymnast and Vancouver native Jordan Chiles will represent the US at the Paris Olympics. Chiles is a 2020 Toyko Games silver medalist and currently trains alongside Simone Biles in Texas. Also joining the roster is Oregon State University student and Olympic gold medalist Jade Carey. (KOIN)

Number

862,000. That’s how many Oregonians are expected to travel at least 50 miles starting last Saturday through Sunday, July 7, according to AAA. Nearly 80% of travelers will get to and fro by car with heavy traffic congestion between Portland and Eugene/Hood River, especially in the afternoons. (KGW)

Eat

Ahma Healing Soup sells ready-made Cantonese herbal soups to support immune health, postpartum recovery, and more. Owners Silas Lee and his partner Grace were inspired by the small herbal tea shops common in China and Hong Kong. The new business at 333 SE Second Ave. offers pickup and delivery. (Eater Portland)

Portlander

How much do you know about the “Godfather of Portland Jazz”? Mel Brown worked with big Motown names like Diana Ross and The Temptations — and was honored with his own day by Mayor Bud Clark on June 22, 1989. He’ll perform alongside his son, Christopher, at the Waterfront Blues Festival. (KOIN)

Sports

NBA free agency got off to a slow start for the Trail Blazers. Locked On examines current rumors — like whether the Lakers are interested in forward Jerami Grant — and recaps the team’s decision to bring back guard Dalano Banton.

History

🐴 Neigh-borhood safety

Police officers once patrolled Portland’s streets on horseback

Police officers on brown horses ride in a parade.

The PPB’s Mounted Patrol Unit was headquartered at Northwest Ninth and Naito Parkway. | Photo by pdxjeff

Bike saddles weren’t the only saddles Portland police officers once sat on.

Within the last decade, the Portland Police Bureau had a Mounted Patrol Unit. Its members, both human and equine, were familiar sights at parades, protests, and special events for decades. The unit was disbanded in July 2017 when the city’s budget no longer supported its continuance, silencing the sound of hooves on downtown streets.

Here’s a brief overview of the mounted unit’s early history:

1875 — Mounted police are first mentioned as participants in Portland’s Fourth of July parade.

1887 — One horse, a saddle, and a wagon are reported in the Portland Police Bureau’s inventory.

1889 — The chief of police asks the city to fund a horsedrawn patrol wagon. One arrives the following year and is used for transporting prisoners, arrestees, and officers, also serving as the city ambulance.

1899 — The bureau retains only enough horses to pull its patrol wagon as bicycles replace the need for living mounts.

1903 — A mounted patrol unit is reintroduced after bicycles kept getting flat tires on the city’s rougher roads.

The Buy

The Buy 7.02.24 (Affiliate)

A Blink security camera two-pack that’s on sale early for Prime Day. Prime members can get the normally $139.98 cameras for $49.99.

Answered

What do you do for a hobby in Portland?

A person holding a fan stands behind a booth displaying brightly colored art. — Maybe you’ve even dreamed of turning your hobby into a profitable business.
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Photo by @wonderwoodsprings + @natsandme

“City of Creativity” might as well be another Portland moniker. We had a ton of responses to this question from local folks who dabble in quilting, dragon boating, pottery, vlogging, and gardening, to name but a few. We’re looking forward to sharing some of their stories in the future.

I love doing __ in my free time

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Cambrie

From the editor

I’m crossing all my fingers and toes for the pair of sea otters spotted at Ecola Point in Cannon Beach to stay forever. Why should California and Washington have all the fun?

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