| Portland, Oregon. It's sometimes a misunderstood | | | | fireworks, and the crowning of the Rose Festival |
| place. Yes, it's true it rains. But not as much as people | | | | queen all takes place during this period. Several large |
| might imagine. Here are a few things that make | | | | ships from the Coast Guard and the Navy come to |
| Portland, simply, Portland.1. Portland is a great walking | | | | shore for tours.21. The Columbia River Gorge, minutes |
| city. City blocks are 200 feet, half the length of those | | | | from Portland, is considered the best place in the world |
| of many other cities.2. Portland has great beer. There | | | | for windsurfing.22. Nike's world headquarters is located |
| are more breweries in Portland than any other city in | | | | in Beaverton, minutes from Portland.23. There is no |
| the world.3. Portland's air is cleaner than a lot of other | | | | sales tax in Portland. A matter fact, there is no sales |
| major cities.4. Portland has plenty of beautiful, natural | | | | tax in Oregon.24. Portland is the first city in the US to |
| scenery. It's very green with lots of trees.5. (Bad) | | | | remove a freeway, Harbor Drive, which was later |
| Coastal region is said to be due with earthquake | | | | replaced by Waterfront Park.25. At 546 feet, the |
| (tsunami) like activity. Are we prepared?6. Portland | | | | Wells Fargo Center is the tallest building in Portland. |
| was almost named Boston. A coin toss decided the | | | | Height restrictions were placed after construction in |
| name.7. Portland is the largest city in Oregon.8. (Bad) | | | | 1972. The public did not want the view of Mt. Hood |
| Perception that it rains here all the time. Really, it rains | | | | blocked by tall buildings.26. The Flying Boat known as |
| more in places like Atlanta, Houston, Indianapolis, and | | | | the Spruce Goose is located at the Evergreen |
| Seattle.9. The International Rose Test Garden, located | | | | Aviation Museum in McMinnville near Portland.27. The |
| in Portland, is the oldest rose test garden in the US.10. | | | | submarine that featured in the movie Hunt for Red |
| Portland has a World Famous Symphony. The Oregon | | | | October is housed at OMSI in Portland.28. In 1888, for |
| Symphony was the first orchestra in the Western | | | | Skidmore Fountains grand opening, Oregon brewer |
| United States.11. Portland has the nation's largest | | | | Henry Weinhard offered to pump beer from his |
| outdoor and crafts market, The Portland Saturday | | | | brewery to the fountain via fire hoses. This never |
| Market.12.The Benson Bubblers are drinking fountains | | | | happened because city officials feared that residents |
| located at several locations downtown. They came | | | | would help themselves and poke holes into the city's |
| about long ago because there was nothing else to | | | | only set of fire hoses.29. The tunnels known as The |
| drink in Portland but beer during the workday at one | | | | Shanghai Tunnels are located under Old Town |
| time. Beer sales at saloons dropped considerably | | | | Chinatown in Northwest Portland. These tunnels |
| when they were installed. Seriously.13. Portland has one | | | | connected to basements of bars and hotels. Way |
| of the most authentic Japanese Gardens outside of | | | | back then, bar and hotel customers were drugged and |
| Japan.14. With 5000 acres, Forest Park is the nation's | | | | incapacitated from the very same bars and hotels that |
| largest urban wilderness. In all, Portland has 37,000 | | | | served them. The tunnels were a means to smuggle |
| acres of parkland with 150 miles of trails.15. Dr. Marten's | | | | unsuspecting individuals for sale as slaves to ships |
| retail store, the only one in the country, is located in | | | | docked at the waterfront.30. Oregon State Hospital, an |
| Portland.16. Recently PDX was rated one of the best | | | | insane asylum, was built in SE Portland in 1862. The |
| airports in the country.17. You can't pump your own | | | | street it was built on was named Asylum Street. |
| gas in Portland, in Oregon in fact. It's illegal.18. Here are | | | | People protested the name. So the street was later |
| some interesting names that reference Portland: | | | | renamed after one of the hospital's administrators. |
| Bridgetown, Stumptown, City of Roses, PDX, P-Town, | | | | Asylum Street was later renamed Hawthorne Street, |
| and Puddletown.19. Portlandia is the second largest | | | | a very popular and thriving district today.Ariel operates |
| copper statue in the US. It's located on the Portland | | | | a Portland Oregon travel website - Did you like this |
| building downtown. The largest copper statue is the | | | | article on "The 30 Things About Portland?" Check out |
| Statue of Liberty.20. Portland celebrates the Rose | | | | the 101 list here. |
| Festival in June. 2 huge parades, dragonboat races, | | | | |