The History of Portland's Park System

Derek Viger provides an in depth look at how our parks came to be.

Portland’s park system literally began from the ashes of the Great Fire of 1866. No formal parks existed before the Great Fire. The Evergreen Cemetery was the closest thing Portland had to a park. The Portland City Council purchased an area of burnt land, now bordered by Pearl, Franklin, Market, and Federal Sts. James P. Baxter called this purchase, "…one of the best exhibitions of wise enterprise which Portland has ever made." ... more