It was 3:30 on a pretty summer afternoon in downtown Portland in 1952. You might have parked in the Meier & Frank parking lot on the left, crossed SW Morrison to the First National Bank, then on to some shopping at M&F. A classic mid-century Portland scene.
(City of Portland Archives)
What’s on the corner in front of Pioneer Courthouse?
David,
It kind of looks like a neolithic food cart, doesn’t it?
Am I seeing things, or is there a giant ship on the horizon? Could that be? Or is that a building? I don’t think you can see the river from that intersection.
I just see buildings beyond. And for some reason the cars all look so alike. It almost looks like the building at the base of the Broadway bridge in the furthest distance… Albers?
The weren’t much into street trees in those days where they? That modern parking structure looks kind of cool, I still prefer our post-modern Pioneer Square though.
http://goo.gl/maps/2Myz1
This nice photo seems pointed towards the corner of the parking garage. I looked in the Oregonian to see if anything interesting was going on at the time.
The top floor was opened to parking for the first time on April 19th, 1952. The lower level was set to open before May 1st.
On the evening of June 10th, an estimated 2000 Rose Festival square dancers filled the top floor. “It happened at a hoedown the likes of which the old town hasn’t seen for many a year – a stamping, whirling, colorful square dance that literally shook the foundation of the block-square parking lot on the site of the old Portland Hotel” Oregonian, June 11, 1952, page 2
In July, the lower level was closed to parking during the Republican convention, starting July 7th. The process was repeated on July 27th for the Democratic convention. The floor was set up with 60+ televisions, so Portlanders could come down and watch the convention live. This was brand new, very popular, sponsored by Meier & Frank, and no admission fee. Eighteen models of TV sets were used to view the broadcast, from Admiral to Zenith. Seating for 1,000 people was provided. “Over 50,000 have seen the Telecast Monday and Tuesday” Oregonian, Wednesday, July 9th, page 18
Pingback: SW 6th Avenue, 1952 | oldoregon1859
this looks down 6th Ave to the old Apostolic Faith Church, on 6th and Burnside with its huge “Jesus The Light Of The World” sign in the roof…it is more clear in this photo…SW 6th Avenue, c1960
https://vintageportland.wordpress.com/2012/04/24/sw-6th-avenue-c1960/
Both the Meier & Frank building and the building to the west were designed by A.E. Doyle. What’s your favorite Doyle designed building? (BTW a Doyle partner designed The Commonwealth/Equitable Building on SW 6th and Washington; can you name him?
Tom Schrader:
Pietro Belluschi. I didn’t even need to use the Google for that one.
My favorite Doyle building is the central library.