I grew up in Portland in the 1940sw and ’50s and never heard of Shemanski Park. I understand now it’s a farmers market. Can someone tell me mote about its location and history?
Oregonian June 3, 1944 excerpt
Center to Honor Young Singer — The “Jane Powell Concert Center” will be dedicated to the 14 year old movie star, the former Suzanne Burce of Portland, at a ceremony at 6 pm. The center is located in the park blocks at Main and SW Park. The Portland Council recently passed a resolution for the naming of the center.
Oregon Journal June 4, 1944 — Band Concert Series Begins at South Park — First of a series of outdoor concerts will be held at 6 pm today in the South Park Blocks. The bandstand is on Main street and seats for about 5,000 persons have been set up in the adjoining parks. Joseph Sampietro will direct a 30 orchestra and choral society will accompany the program set of by the leader of the KOIN program. A section of the park near the stand will be dedicated to Suzanne Burce, Portland’s Victory girl who has gained fame as June Powell of the movies.
Less than 2 days after this concert the citizens of Portland who sleeping were awakened by the Mayor who activated air raid sirens at 12:30 am on news of the D-Day of Western Europe. Portland Police also activated the sirens on their patrol cars
Shipyard workers were already awake .
Joseph Shemanski was a Polish immigrant who became a successful businessman and commissioned the sandstone Shemanski Fountain by local architect Carl Linde in 1925. In 1928 Shemanski commissioned U of O art professor, Oliver Laurence Barrett, to replace the central planter with a bronze of the biblical Rebecca, representing kindness to strangers and animals. It includes lower fountains for dogs and pets, and it stands across from the Arlington Club. Thus, this particular park block was also deemed Shemanski Park and now stars a wonderful weekly Farmers Market on Wednesdays. Here’s more info…
Just a silly observational comment and nothing more…In these days of fluid gender, the name Shemanski has great standup gag potential.
My Mom, who was living and working in Portland during WWII, remembered Jane Powell (formerly Suzanne Burce) performing in Portland during the war to help sell Victory (War) Bonds to help the war effort. Mom went with a bunch of fellow office workers to one of the events, possibly the one photographed here. They were all very proud of the very talented and beautiful Ms. Powell, the hometown girl who had made it big in Hollywood.
Regarding the 12::30 a.m. air raid sirens going off in the middle of the night to commemorate D Day (June 6, 1944), I’m surprised that happened given the fact that earlier in the war, blackout was enforced throughout Portland due to fear of enemy attack from the Pacific at night. I wonder if any Portlanders were alarmed by the midnight air raid sirens that night, fearing an attack?
robinthompson4
The Oregon Journal reported on June 6, 1944 how Portland reacted to the midnight sirens. (corrected time 12:33 am)
All Lights Come On — Immediately after the air raid siren was blown, the police dispatcher sent a call to all cars to open up sirens. Patrol cars and paddy wagons roamed the streets for half an hour with sirens going full steam. One patrol car drove up NE Sandy boulevard when there wasn’t a light on in the houses; on the return trip there wasn’t a light off. Telephone company switchboards were swamped with calls inquiring the nature of the siren blast. The 7 pm to 1 am shift of operators remained on duty two to three hours overtime to keep phone traffic in hand. Calls were 3 1/2 times normal in the period from midnight to 6 am. Dozens of operators called in offering to go on duty while others showed up. Day shifts reported an hour early without absenteeism. Buy by today telephone traffic was only slightly above normal.
Thanks,. Dennis, for that timely information. Very interesting!
Vintage Portland 
I grew up in Portland in the 1940sw and ’50s and never heard of Shemanski Park. I understand now it’s a farmers market. Can someone tell me mote about its location and history?
Oregonian June 3, 1944 excerpt
Center to Honor Young Singer — The “Jane Powell Concert Center” will be dedicated to the 14 year old movie star, the former Suzanne Burce of Portland, at a ceremony at 6 pm. The center is located in the park blocks at Main and SW Park. The Portland Council recently passed a resolution for the naming of the center.
Oregon Journal June 4, 1944 — Band Concert Series Begins at South Park — First of a series of outdoor concerts will be held at 6 pm today in the South Park Blocks. The bandstand is on Main street and seats for about 5,000 persons have been set up in the adjoining parks. Joseph Sampietro will direct a 30 orchestra and choral society will accompany the program set of by the leader of the KOIN program. A section of the park near the stand will be dedicated to Suzanne Burce, Portland’s Victory girl who has gained fame as June Powell of the movies.
I was familiar with Jane Powell but had no idea of her Portland connection. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0007225/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
Less than 2 days after this concert the citizens of Portland who sleeping were awakened by the Mayor who activated air raid sirens at 12:30 am on news of the D-Day of Western Europe. Portland Police also activated the sirens on their patrol cars
Shipyard workers were already awake .
Joseph Shemanski was a Polish immigrant who became a successful businessman and commissioned the sandstone Shemanski Fountain by local architect Carl Linde in 1925. In 1928 Shemanski commissioned U of O art professor, Oliver Laurence Barrett, to replace the central planter with a bronze of the biblical Rebecca, representing kindness to strangers and animals. It includes lower fountains for dogs and pets, and it stands across from the Arlington Club. Thus, this particular park block was also deemed Shemanski Park and now stars a wonderful weekly Farmers Market on Wednesdays. Here’s more info…
South Park Blocks
Arlington Club
And VP’s prior Shemanski Fountain entry…
https://vintageportland.wordpress.com/2015/08/17/joseph-shemanski-fountain-1967/
Just a silly observational comment and nothing more…In these days of fluid gender, the name Shemanski has great standup gag potential.
My Mom, who was living and working in Portland during WWII, remembered Jane Powell (formerly Suzanne Burce) performing in Portland during the war to help sell Victory (War) Bonds to help the war effort. Mom went with a bunch of fellow office workers to one of the events, possibly the one photographed here. They were all very proud of the very talented and beautiful Ms. Powell, the hometown girl who had made it big in Hollywood.
Regarding the 12::30 a.m. air raid sirens going off in the middle of the night to commemorate D Day (June 6, 1944), I’m surprised that happened given the fact that earlier in the war, blackout was enforced throughout Portland due to fear of enemy attack from the Pacific at night. I wonder if any Portlanders were alarmed by the midnight air raid sirens that night, fearing an attack?
robinthompson4
The Oregon Journal reported on June 6, 1944 how Portland reacted to the midnight sirens. (corrected time 12:33 am)
All Lights Come On — Immediately after the air raid siren was blown, the police dispatcher sent a call to all cars to open up sirens. Patrol cars and paddy wagons roamed the streets for half an hour with sirens going full steam. One patrol car drove up NE Sandy boulevard when there wasn’t a light on in the houses; on the return trip there wasn’t a light off. Telephone company switchboards were swamped with calls inquiring the nature of the siren blast. The 7 pm to 1 am shift of operators remained on duty two to three hours overtime to keep phone traffic in hand. Calls were 3 1/2 times normal in the period from midnight to 6 am. Dozens of operators called in offering to go on duty while others showed up. Day shifts reported an hour early without absenteeism. Buy by today telephone traffic was only slightly above normal.
Thanks,. Dennis, for that timely information. Very interesting!