The European, Forestry, and California Buildings at the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, 1905.
Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, 1905
Vintage Portland
The European, Forestry, and California Buildings at the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, 1905.
Vintage Portland 
I’m wondering if the potted plants with labels are a display of flora native to California and part of the California pavilion.
This is a wonderful image with a long perspective through the grounds to the Forestry Building flanked by European and California Buildings with and the backdrop of the west hills. I have seen many many photos of the expo and its buildings, but not this image. I like how it is carefully labeled. I like all the fine detail to be seen; from the paths of crushed rock to the trees in barrels to the border fencing.
Looked like a wonderful day. I like the energy and excitement on the face of the boy (lower left) on the inside track as he rounds the corner with a friend, looking for adventure.
It would have been awkward being a woman having to walk up & down these steps in long dresses and big hats on your head. The frilly white blouses they wore were very pretty.
Great new perspective. I always thought the Forestry Bldg. was up on a small hill. Its former location near NW 28th is certainly elevated relative to Upshur and, especially, Vaughn. This photo makes it obvious that it sat at essentially the same elevation as the nearby buildings. Interesting.
Dennis shared this with me on a previous post, it’s absolutely the best resource I’ve seen on the fair and fairgrounds.
Official Guide to the Lewis & Clark Exposition:
https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/officialguidele00lewi
Official Map:
https://ia903107.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/27/items/officialguidele00lewi/officialguidele00lewi_jp2.zip&file=officialguidele00lewi_jp2/officialguidele00lewi_0003.jp2&id=officialguidele00lewi&scale=2&rotate=0
According to the map, the building on the left is the Oriental Palace. (I’m not sure where the term “European Building” is coming from, perhaps the photographer, because I don’t see it on the map but assume that it’s part of the Foreign Palace)
Map link, second attempt:
https://ia903107.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/27/items/officialguidele00lewi/officialguidele00lewi_jp2.zip&file=officialguidele00lewi_jp2/officialguidele00lewi_0002.jp2&id=officialguidele00lewi&scale=2&rotate=0
Approximate view today:
Jim I believe you are correct, the potted palm tree on the right side would not be native in the Northwest, but my sister has had a potted palm in her yard for several years here in PDX.
ssssteven the old Forestry Building was located on a elevated site after the the exposition when NW Vaughn was extended to create NW Wardway.
Official Sponsor of the fair, and best ad in the guide:
https://ia903107.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/27/items/officialguidele00lewi/officialguidele00lewi_jp2.zip&file=officialguidele00lewi_jp2/officialguidele00lewi_0049.jp2&id=officialguidele00lewi&scale=2&rotate=0
Thorn you are correct the building on the left with domed roof is the Oriental Palace. The photographer took a photo of the Foreign Palace and also labeled it as European building. In the official guide the Oriental Palace is on page 14 and the Foreign Palace is on page 16.
…and in the Official Guide, the Foreign Palace and European Building labels are used interchangeably, just no sign of the term on the map.
It is amazing to me the incredible amount of landscaping work by shovel,, wheelbarrow, rake and hoe that went into creating the grounds for the fair. Nearly all of it by laborers with hand tools, horse and mule beasts of burden for the wagons and plows. No machinery like today with small trackhoes, excavators, dozers, and the skid steer’s.
It was no doubt a huge and arduous task. .
What time of year was this? I see what appears to be either snow or frost on the Forestry Bldg. roof and others.