Come to Portland's Living Room

One of the nation's loveliest and most livable cities is Portland Oregon, perched on the banks of the Willamette River. A city of over 500,000 people, Portland is big enough to have 'big' city excitement and yet maintain a friendly and beautiful atmosphere.

One of the cities premier attractions is Pioneer Courthouse Square, lovingly called Portland's 'living room'. The urban park is located at 701 SW 6^th Ave, and is bordered by Yamhill, Morrison and Broadway. An estimated 21,000 people pass the square each day.

Inaugurated by nine thousand citizens April 6, 1984, the square has served the downtown are well.

In January the mall became a smokeless area, and it is hoped soon that all public parks in Portland will be non-smoking. It has certainly made the square a more pleasant place to be, and there is no more smoking litter to ruin the beauty.

Tri Met's MAX, light rail, runs on both sides of the square, servicing westbound and eastbound passengers. Each day hundreds of employees who work in various shops and offices flood into Portland for the day. In fact many restaurants and shops are only open on the weekdays to accommodate commuters. However there is a sizeable population living in the downtown area.

One of the highlights of Pioneer Square is the 'bronze man", a statue by renowned artist Seward Johnson. It is called "Allow Me" and is so real that visitors often mistake it for real. It is a favorite spot for photo sessions. No tourists goes away without a few pictures of themselves with the bronze guy.

One of the most unique of Pioneer Square is the bricks with names. Creators came up with the idea of selling bricks to citizens, who could then name them for themselves or others. Sale of these bricks has funded the square and its upkeep. Not just local Oregonians are represented. There are bricks for Jimi Hendricks, Elvis Presley, Mickey Mouse and Sherlock Holmes, to name a few.

Many amenities grace the mall. On the north side, atop some "broken pillars", of a decorative sort, there are bronze chess boards. Most days find a crowd of people either playing or looking on at the action. Around the mall are bronze historic tiles that depict the history of the state. For those who love coffee a Starbucks is just a few paces from the chess players.

On the east side of the square, on Broadway and across the street from the old Pioneer Post Office is the Portland Hotel Gate. It's traceries of lacy wrought iron grace the main

entrance to the square. The gate was designed by McKim, Mead and White, architects of the Portland Hotel.

An attention grabber Mile Post Sign next to the gate. It is a whimsical collection of destinations, including Portland's sister city, Sapporo Japan, London and Paris. On a nice day tourists can be seen taking pictures of the post and laughing amusedly.

The weather machine is an interesting attraction. On a pole of its own it has Helia, a stylized sun for sunny days, a blue heron for the drizzle and mist that is Oregon's weather in many areas. Then there is the dragon, the symbol for the storms and winds that tear through the state.

During the Christmas season a huge tree stands in the center of Pioneer Courthouse Square, its lights lending a magic aura to the city. Many activities take place here at Christmas and all through the year. A favorite of shoppers and workers is the Noon Tunes held each day. A concert of live music to which shoppers can hum along, and office workers can enjoy as a break in their day.

Should you be considering a vacation, you can't go wrong by coming the Pacific Northwest, and Portland offers a broad variety of sites to see and activities to keep the family busy and intrigued. Hope to see you one day in Portland's 'living room'.