Portland, Oregon City Guide

For over 20 years, Pamela Lanier's Portland, Oregon Travel Guide has been your connection to Portland's tourism community with invaluable details on local attractions, restaurants, shopping, museums, history, outdoor recreation and more.

History

Portland, Oregon was originally known as “The Clearing,” a spot along the Willamette River half-way between Oregon City and Fort Vancouver. The city was officially named after Portland, Maine, resulting from a coin toss between two men wanting to name the city after their respective hometowns. If Francis W. Pettygrove lost the coin toss to Asa Lovejoy, Portland would have been named after Boston, Massachusetts. Because of its location at the head of the river, Portland was the further spot inland where cargo could be delivered, therefore giving it an advantage over its larger neighbor, Oregon City. Portland was the major port in the Pacific Northwest until the railroad arrived in Seattle in the 1890’s, carrying goods east over the mountains. Once a city with just one log cabin hotel, one newspaper, and 800 inhabitants, Portland is now one of the most popular big cities in the United States in which to live.
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