Park System of Portland, Oregon, The Rose City 



By Emil T. Mische, Oregon.* 



irtl; 



las an estimated popuhitiun of 270,000, 



two thirds \-aluation of $300,000,000. a maintenance 

 get for parks of $17.^,000. 



'J'he city's principal industries are lumbering and ship- 

 ]5ing" — principally grain and flour ; it is the shipjiing 

 center of a territory approximately 250.000 square miles 

 in extent. The standing timber in the State represents 

 substantially one sixth of that in the United States. 



Since July 1, 1913, the city has been under commis- 

 sion form of government, administered by a mayor and 

 four commissioners. The parks are managed by the 

 Commissioner of Public Affairs, whose other duties are 

 the administering of the ]niblic auditorium, sealer of 

 weights and measures, and the city attorney. 



Portland's park acreage is approximately 650 acres 

 within the city limits (comprising an area of about 60 

 square miles) ; a bond issue of one million dollars has 

 been expended upon land and construction in addition to 

 the current tax revenue funds. The park extension vir- 

 tuallv started in 1908. 



The largest park is Mt. Tabor, a large hill 175 acres 



mands some fine views of the city plane, the Cascade 

 nmge of mountains and the snow peaks of Mt. Ranier, 

 St. Helens, .\dams. Hood and Jefferson. 



Each of the other pmperties except parkwa\s are 30 

 acres or less. 



Twenty-si.x playgrounds are provided. 



Three miles of parkway extending southwesterly from 

 the center of the city climb the steep hills and overlook 

 the Willamette and Columbia rivers, the flat "'east side" 

 ;ind afford a pleasing variety of distant prospects. 



Northwest of the city a ten-mile parkway is under 

 construction and along the ColumI)ia a drive extends to 

 a point 30 miles distant from the city and opens a region 

 of scenery remarkabl)- bold, picturesque and inviting. 

 En route are a series of high water falls, cascades, gorges 

 and topographically beautiful scenes. Where the Colum- 

 bia river cleaves the Cascade mountains it left the shores 

 and borders in this rugged and sublime moulding of the 

 surface. 



It is pro]X)sed later to ac(juire a vast forest reservation 

 of some 70.000 acres in extent and bv the addition of 



KOSK CARDI-.N IN I'llXINSlI A I-AKK, I'OKTr,.\N'n. 



in e.Ktent. mostly fir clad antl offering sjjlendid view> in 

 all directions. Two miles of 32-foot drives are graded. 

 Its principal vegetative character is that arising from a 

 natural woodland. .All planting in it is of native ma- 

 terial.. When completed an elaborate architectural fea- 

 ture in the form of cascades, staircases, pools and foun- 

 tains are proposed — taking advantage of the overflow 

 from one city water system reservoir to another. 



Macleay Park is 130 acres on the western hills; a deep 

 gorge and a considerable sized rivulet are consjiicuous 

 parts of it. f!oth slopes are covered with a hanging 

 wood in its primeval condition. A short piece of drive 

 traverses it longitudinally and a number of trails wiml 

 along the slopes and follow the brook. 



Washington Park is 103 acres in area, the oldest ile- 

 velo]5ed property. It contains the Zoo. a considerable 

 collection of oriental plants, several statues, and com- 



*Landscape Architect. Portland, Oregon. 



AI!OfT l"()i; 



\( RKS AKK Pr.AXTKI) IX KoSi: 



about litteeii miles of drive ])ermit of access by auto- 

 mobile to within a mile and one-half of Mt. Hood's 

 glaciers. 



.\scent from about two hundred feet to six thousand 

 above sea level will be possible in a three-hour ride from 

 the heart of the city. 



Work on this property has only been undertaken in a 

 trifle more than the past year. When boat landings, pic- 

 nic grounds, summer camjxs. trout fishing, mountaineer- 

 ing and snow shoeing are possible throughout the year 

 it is expected our park possessions will lie unusually at- 

 tractive. 



In playgrounds the particular phases to be observed 

 are the extent of their e([ui])meiit — all with the latest 

 type of Spalding apparatus — both in and out of doors: 

 the fence enclosures and provisions of shade and orna- 

 mental settings. 



r.ut (jne ci>)nmunity center is fully develoiied by a re- 



