Here we have a great color image of the Meier and Frank parking lot located at the current Pioneer Square location. This image was captured only a few years before construction would begin. On the left upper corner you can see the Orpheum Theater, which was located at the corner or SW Broadway and Yamhill.
Meier and Frank parking lot, Sept. 22, 1975 : A2008-008.3646
Vintage Portland 
The window in the upper right of the photo is my office now!
The most recent Offbeat Oregon History article provides an interesting perspective on the struggle to create Pioneer Square.
On a different note, it’s unfortunate that the Orpheum and Royal buildings in the upper left would not survive long enough to look out over the square. By an interesting quirk of design, the current Nordstrom building on that block also provides little in the way of a view of the square. I wonder if it would have had a different design if it had been constructed after the square?
Let’s try that link without the html tags:
http://offbeatoregon.com/1405c.pioneer-courthouse-square.html
there are a couple of cars I would love to have today in this pic.
Awesome. More of these.
Jared: I guessing it’s not the ’75 AMC Pacer in the front row. Maybe the ’73 Plymouth Duster on Broadway?
This picture could have almost been taken from my office window. I worked on the 11th floor of the Executive Bldg on the corner of 6th and Yamhill from 1969 until 1972. My view from my window looked out over the parking lot.
Two of the scariest words in the English language: “beige Pinto.”
Just a little more to the left and you could have seen The Hostess diner next to the Orpheum.
And to think they torn down that nice old Hotel to put up a parking lot. My grandfather was a cook there.
Does anyone remember the Herfy’s I think it was in the Jackson Tower across the street? This would have to had been the mid to late 70’s up until the 80’s or so. I remember they did a pretty good business there and the food was not half bad either. And the weird underground bathrooms in front of the old courthouse. You really had to go bad if you were brave enough to go down there!
Arctic Circle was in the Jackson Tower. Have have been a Herfy earlier
SamTheClam, Vintage Portland has featured those underground bathrooms before.
Yes, the underground bathrooms. Dirty maybe but the tile work and old porcelain fixtures were pretty nice.
In the late 60’s there were hearings – I think in city hall – where citizens were helping to come up with ideas for the site. I think M&F wanted a larger parking lot. But we added our 2 cents & said the city needed a park there. I’m glad that was the final decision.
Yes there was a Herfy’s in the Jackson Tower, mid to late 1970’s. Now it is a jewelry store
Yes, I, too remember the Herfy’s in Jackson Tower, in the mid 70s.
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