A panorama view of “central” Portland, circa 1886. The central streets are SW Hall Street and SW College Street and Harrison School is on the left.
City of Portland Archives, Oregon, A2004-002.3623
Portland, circa 1886
Vintage Portland
A panorama view of “central” Portland, circa 1886. The central streets are SW Hall Street and SW College Street and Harrison School is on the left.
City of Portland Archives, Oregon, A2004-002.3623
Vintage Portland 
Didn’t realize they had cellphone towers back then
Here’s a Where’s Waldo game. Is there any building in this photo that is still standing?
Is this really Harrison, Hall & College? Those streets are pretty far South. This seems more central: perhaps Madison? Also: what is the school-like building in the left, center?
It’s identified as the Harrison School. A better picture taken the same year just to the north of this photo: https://vintageportland.wordpress.com/?s=Portland+Panorama%2C+1883&submit=Search
Best I can tell the square brick building about 5 o’clock from the school (seen better in my link above) is on the corner of Broadway and Hall
Near the right edge of the picture you can see where the streets change from the downtown grid to the north-south grid. This change takes place around Jackson Street. If the undeveloped land in the foreground is the southern end of the Park Blocks, we can see where Broadway makes that turn. This is right at the base of the hills where the freeway is now.
To answer my own Where’s Waldo question there’s a small possibility that the building at 1924 SW Broadway is the same as in the photo. The trees obscure to much of the front to tell for sure.
1924 sw broadway is listed as 1892; either wrong house, wrong photo date, or wrong info on portlandmaps (which is possible).
I think there’s a cow in the little fenced field in lower center (slightly left) of the picture. An early instance of urban livestock, now mostly goats and chickens.
Location of Harrison school present: https://www.google.com/maps/place/SW+5th+Ave+%26+SW+Harrison+St,+Portland,+OR+97201/@45.5107943,-122.6818585,3a,75y,151.13h,89.2t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1stSxJihTJebV0cUj3HuFOxw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DtSxJihTJebV0cUj3HuFOxw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dsearch.TACTILE.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D203.57253%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x54950a16ae6e024d:0x462adc22c55fbd38!8m2!3d45.5107943!4d-122.6818585!6m1!1e1
I think the back corner of the “Mrs. Neusihin”s pickles” house is visible at 420 SW College. It was said that her secret ingredient was ashes falling from her cigarette as she churned the pickles.
I’d bet a Neusihin’s pickle that the only building in this photo still standing is the large white house belonging to “Uncle Jimmy” Stephens, visible here on the east bank of the river and since moved several blocks to the east.
I.G. Davidson photo before the fire at the school in 1887
I’m guessing the street across the river is Hawthorne and the one south of it is Powell? And the Marquam Bridge curves over about where that steamboat is.
I’d guess that the house with the bay window to the right of the large white church may be the pre-remuddled Italianate house on 5th Avenue, between College and Jackson.
Old 55: I think the one street is Hawthorne, but I think the other one is Division. Looks like you can make out a rudimentary Ladds Addition just north of the latter street.
Reblogged this on Oregon Real Estate Round Table.
I’m pretty sure (though not certain) that you can see the James B. Stephens home in this photo. It’s the house on the east bank of the Willamette that sits by itself. It is nearly dead center in the photo. If so, it is still standing, though it was moved and is now at 1825 SE 12th Avenue.
The Stephens House is one of My Family Houses! Yes, it is still standing and on Historic Registar!