A Symposium

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April 28 - 30, 2003

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Portland State University

Smith Memorial Student Union

Symposium

Background

 

In 1903 citizen park boards in Portland and Seattle collaborated in bringing John Charles Olmsted to prepare park master plans for both cities. Olmsted shuttled by train between the two cities as he developed plans for comprehensive, interconnected parks systems. As part of a year long Olmsted 2003 Centennial celebration, park planners, citizen advocates, land use planners, landscape architects, architects, and civic leaders will gather to celebrate Olmsted's park and landscape legacy in the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan region.

 

The symposium's objectives will be to celebrate the genius and foresight of Olmsted's Portland Park master plan, as well as to challenge the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan region to create a 21st century park and greenspace legacy that equals our Olmsted legacy. We will recognize the civic-minded leaders on the first Portland Park Board who took the initiative to bring Olmsted to Portland and we hope to inspire a new generation of civic leaders to carry on the tradition of park and greenspace advocacy. We will also feature modern applications of Olmstedian park planning philosophy in local and regional park and greenspace planning efforts, on both sides of the Columbia River.

 

The Portland symposium is being coordinated with Seattle's April 30-May 4 National Association of Olmsted Park's conference, Our Olmsted Legacy: Learning from the Past, Inspiring the Future. At the conclusion of the April 30 field tours in Portland, those wishing to attend the Seattle conference will have the option to make the return train trip north. More information on the Seattle conference can be obtained at:

 

www.seattle.gov/friendsofolmstedparks/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sequence of Courses on Parks:

Fall 2002, Winter & Spring 2003

 

As part of Portland Olmsted Centennial celebration, a year-long sequence of courses is being offered at Portland State University dealing with parks, greenspaces, and natural resource protection and management in the urban landscape. All three courses focus on the Greater Portland Area and the 1903 Olmsted Report, and its recommendations provides the linking theme.

 

The courses are jointly taught by Mike Houck (Audubon Society of Portland & PSU Geography Department), Chet Orloff (Historian and PSU Urban Studies & Planning Department), and Joe Poracsky (PSU Geography). Both undergraduate and graduate credit options are available.

 

For further information on these courses, click HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

Portland Neighborhood Park Events: 2003

 

An important part of the Portland Olmsted Centennial activities is a series of local neighborhood events celebrating park sites inspired by the 1903 master plan. Neighborhood associations, friends groups, businesses and other organizations are joining forces to develop events around the Olmstedian parks listed below.

 

If you are interested in helping with these neighborhood events, or want information on how to organize an event for your neighborhood, contact:

 

Mary Rose Navarro

Portland Parks & Recreation

503/823-5589

or

mnavarro@ci.portland.or.us

 

 

 

 

Click here for printable PDF

of the

Olmsted Parks in Portland

list below.

 

Olmsted Parks in Portland

Following is a list of parks that were part of John Charles Olmsted's report in 1903 and that exist today.

The name in parenthesis ( ) is the name used in the Olmsted Report.

 

  • Chapman & Lownsdale Squares (The Plaza Blocks)
  • Columbia Park
  • Forest Park (what Olmsted proposed is much smaller than our Forest Park)
  • Governor's Park (This little park existed in Olmsted's time, and still does exist, but Olmsted's suggestions for further acquisition and connection to "Little Reservoir Park", which the City did not acquire, was never realized.)
  • Holladay Park
  • Irving Park (Irvington Square)
  • Ladd Circle & Squares (Mentioned in Olmsted report as the best available point for the beginning of a parkway headed east towards Mt. Tabor. Actually designed by Emanuel T. Mische, a former Olmsted Brothers employee who served as Portland Park Superintendent for several years.)
  • Laurelhurst Park (We can't find this in the 1903 Olmsted Report! Guzowski said that the 1903 report mentions that a portion of Hazel Fern Farm, the original 462 acre dairy farm of William S. Ladd, be allocated for a city park. However, we can't find where this is mentioned.)
  • Macleay Park
  • Mt. Tabor Park
  • Overlook Park (Multnomah Park)
  • Park Blocks (Park Squares)
  • Peninsula Park (Albina Park)
  • Rocky Butte (not done to the fullest)
  • Ross Island Park (anticipated but not yet done)
  • Sellwood Park
  • Smith & Bybee (Columbia Sloughs Park)
  • Terwilliger Parkway (South Hillside Parkway)
  • Washington Park (City Park)
  • Waterfront Park (River Squares)

If you are interested in helping with neighborhood celebrations of these parks, or want information on how to organize an event for your neighborhood, contact:

 

Mary Rose Navarro

Portland Parks & Recreation

503/823-5589

or

mnavarro@ci.portland.or.us

  

 

 

 

 

 
 
     

 

 

 

This page last updated 27 March, 2003.

Please notify the Webmaster at maps@pdx.edu of any errors.