Article and photographs by Katie Boehnlein
Ahoy mateys! Land ho!
Welcome to Portlandia, home to hidden treasures and well-known wonders alike. Are you a pirate itching to find buried gold? Well, I have heard stories, passed from friend to friend, that Portlandia is home to a cache of hidden gems, just waiting to be found. Before you take to the streets, waterways, and trails of Portland, however, make sure you gather your adventurous spirit, a good pair of walking shoes, proper weather attire, and perhaps even a small shovel for digging. But don’t forget, the treasures of this city are as infinite as the stories people tell. If you keep your eyes and ears open, you may stumble across your own special places to add to your treasure map!
Find Your Figurehead
Everyone knows that to find hidden treasure, you need a treasure map. But you also need a pirate ship to store your treasure, and what’s a pirate ship without its figurehead!? Luckily, I know of a couple promising candidates that can be pilfered for your cause. The first is Paul Bunyan, a stalwart candidate to guide you through squalls on the sea. He can be found in the Kenton neighborhood, on the corner of N Interstate and N Denver. Measuring 31 feet of concrete and metal, he is built to weather the wildest storms. Built in 1959 to commemorate Oregon’s 100th birthday and listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2009, he is definitely worth a visit. Lady Portlandia, protector of our fair city, may also strike your fancy. Hanging off the civic Portland building downtown at 1120 SW 5th Avenue, she beckons to passersby with her classical attire and trident, welcoming all to keep Portland weird. But did you know that Portlandia is the second largest copper statue of her kind, only after the Statue of Liberty in New York!
Climb up to the Crow’s Nest
Treasure hunting is all about finding the right perspective. And what’s better than climbing to the crow’s nest to discover new views? Rocky Butte, located in NE Portland (on NE Rocky Butte Road, via NE 92nd Avenue), offers one of the most stunning views in the area. From this height, you can watch for invading swashbucklers making their way up the Columbia River. The most accessible public park on the peak, James Woodhill Park, affords views East into the Columbia Gorge and Mt. Hood, and West into downtown Portland and the Tualatin Mountains. Similar to its neighbor, Mt. Tabor, Rocky Butte is an extinct volcanic cinder cone; its treacherous slopes tell its fiery geologic story. For explorers who would rather ride the air waves, the Portland Aerial Tram is a breathtaking way to see a view of Portland from the Southwest Hills at Oregon Health Sciences University. The 500-foot skyward journey takes just three minutes, enough time to take in the view of the meandering Willamette River and city skyline. Tickets can be purchased at the South Waterfront transit area at 3303 SW Bond Street and are $4.35 round trip. The tram is free to ride the tram from OHSU down to the South Waterfront and to get there, the most adventurous way to reach the hospital campus is via the Marquam Nature Park trail system (park shelter located on SW Marquam Street).
Hidden Treasure Downtown?
Water-loving land-lubbers can still get their feet wet in many public fountains throughout downtown Portland. Two of the most interesting are the Ira Keller Fountain (SW 3rd Ave and Clay Street) and the Lovejoy Fountain (SW 3rd Avenue and Harrison Street), located only a few blocks from each other and designed by the same architect. Both fountains feature design evocative of Portland’s natural landscape, waterfalls cascade down the Keller Fountain and the Lovejoy Fountain is reminiscent of Oregon’s streams rushing down a mountain. Both places offer a quiet, aquatic respite from the busyness of the city and are ideal for little pirates to practice their seaworthy skills. But for those looking for gold, Mill Ends Park is the place to go. Located at SW Naito Parkway and Taylor Street, it is probably Portland’s most unique park, identified by Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s smallest. At only a few square feet in area, it has, since its inception in 1946, said to be home to leprechauns and other whimsical creatures. If you and your companions are lucky, the inhabitants of this small park may lead you to a pot of gold!
X-Marks the Spot
SE Portland’s Ladd’s Addition neighborhood is a pirate’s dream: diagonal, elm-lined streets beckon adventurers to get lost and wander. Platted in 1891, even looking at a map of the area resembles a pirate’s map: four hidden rose gardens ring a central X. Inter- secting streets all come together at Ladd Cir- cle, located at SE 16th and Harrison. Here, you can play hide and seek under the rhodo- dendron trees and afterwards, grab a warm drink and a slice of pie at Palio cafe (1996 SE Ladd Avenue). Just down the Willamette River, Elk Rock Island in Milwaukie, OR is the most promising place to find buried trea- sure. Formed by ancient lava flows, the island is home some of the oldest exposed rock in the area and is only accessible by a 40 million year old land bridge exposed during low tides and drier seasons. To reach the island, park or take public transit to Milwaukie’s Spring Park Natural Area (SE Sparrow Street at SE 19th Avenue) and access the land bridge from the Spring Park trailhead. Explore the island’s seven distinct ecosystems from meandering trails and coastline, but be sure to stick to the trails to avoid poison oak.
Katie Boehnlein is a teacher and writer living in Portland, OR where you can find her exploring the beautiful natural and historic landmarks of the Rose City by foot and by bike. She grew up traversing the parks and staircases of Southwest Portland, which began a life-long passion for unearthing hidden urban gems. You can follow Katie’s musings on urban exploration and other related topics on her blog“In the Midst,”which can be found at kboehnlein.wordpress.com.
