Cherry blossoms, Japanese American Historical Plaza, Waterfront Park (bobcat)

Battleship Oregon foremast, Waterfront Park (bobcat)

• Hikes to this destination:
  • Eastbank Esplanade-Waterfront Park Loop Hike   (TH | <—   —> | LOG)
  • Portland Waterfront Loop Hike   (TH | <—   —> | LOG)

• Weather forecast: NWS/NOAA
• Maps: Oregon Hikers Maps Google Maps
• Latitude, Longitude: 45.5203, -122.6703
• Elevation: 40 feet

Description

Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park is Portland's central play space and hosts big events throughout the year, including the Rose Festival, the Bite of Oregon, the Waterfront Blues Festival, and the Oregon Brewers Festival. Perhaps surprisingly, the park is a relatively recent creation: it opened to the public in 1978. Before that Harbor Drive occupied the space, but the completion of Interstate 5 through Portland relieved the need for that particular conduit.

Waterfront Park is bounded on its east side by a seawall along the Willamette River. The floodwaters of 1996 barely topped this protective barrier. Among other attractions in the park (from north to south) are the Friendship Circle, celebrating the sister city relationship with Sapporo, Japan; the Japanese American Historical Plaza, with its spring-blooming cherry trees; the Saturday Market Pavilion and Bill Naito Legacy Fountain; the Battleship Oregon Memorial; the sternwheeler Portland, location of the Oregon Maritime Center and Museum; Salmon Street Springs and the John Yeon Building, headquarters for the Portland Rose Festival; and the Bowl, a sloping lawn that serves as an amphitheater for outdoor concerts.

More Links

• Waterfront Park (Portland Parks & Recreation)
• Japanese American Historical Plaza (Portland) (The Oregon Encyclopedia)
• Oregon Maritime Museum
• USS Oregon (BB-3) (Wikipedia)
• Portland Spirit

Contributors

• bobcat (creator)