About the Portland, Oregon Area 

Portland is a dynamic and inviting city, characterized by the friendly nature of residents in the Pacific Northwest. The estimated population of Portland in July of 2004 was 553,492, and there are almost 2 million in the greater metropolitan area. It is located in a spectacular natural setting, with the Columbia River Gorge to the north, the Cascade mountain range and Mt. Hood to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Portland is a city rich in history, with eclectic, multicultural neighborhoods, and all the cultural offerings of a major metropolitan area. Transportation in the city and in the surrounding communities is first-rate, and housing in the outlying areas is still very affordable. It’s easy to understand why Money Magazine has called Portland North America’s Best Big City. 

Location
Portland is located in Multnomah County, in northwestern Oregon. It is the second largest city in the pacific northwest, and the county seat. 

The closest major city to Portland is Vancouver, Washington, which is seven miles to the north. Salem, the state capital of Oregon, is 47 miles south of Portland, and Eugene is 100 miles to the south. Other cities within 20 miles include; Milwaukie, Maywood Park, Oak Grove, Oatfield, Raleigh Hills, Sunnyside, Lake Oswego, Beaverton, and Hillsboro. 

Geography 

The total land area of Portland is 134.3 square miles, and it is at an elevation of 50 feet. Portland is located in the Willamette River Valley, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. 

The Pacific Ocean is 80 miles west of Portland, and to the east, snow-capped Mt. Hood, in the northern Cascade Mountains, rises to an elevation of over 11,000 feet. 

Jobs
The primary industries providing employment in Portland include educational, health and social services (19.7%), manufacturing (12.5%), professional, scientific, management and administrative services (12%), and retail trade (11.5%).

Portland is the main business address for New CF&I Inc., Barrett Business Services Inc., Flir Systems Inc., Oregon Steel Mills Inc., NMHG Holding Co.,
Columbia Sportswear Co., Kindercare Learning Centers Inc., and over 20 other public companies. The unemployment rate in Portland is well below the national average. For Portland residents who are employed elsewhere, the average commute is 23 minutes.

Housing
The City of Portland has a full range of housing opportunities. There are pre-owned homes and condominiums in established historical areas, and in the many unique neighborhoods, and there are a variety of suburban developments and planned residential communities. Portland has a top-notch transportation system, with easy access to all the amenities in Portland and in the surrounding area. The average sale price of a home in Portland is approximately $296,000. 

Recreation
Portland has a challenge for every golfer, offering almost 20 golf clubs within city limits. Courses have been designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and his son Robert Trent Jr., including the stunning Heron Lakes, which Golf Digest lists as one of the top 75 public courses in the U.S. 

The City of Portland takes great pride in its parks. The city is well-known for preserving open-spaces and taking a ‘green’ approach to preserving the environment. Portland maintains over 37,000 acres of parkland, an unusually high percentage for a major American city.  

Forest Park encompasses over 5,000 acres, and is the largest wilderness park in the United States that is located within city limits. Portland also is known for maintaining the world’s smallest park, Mill Ends Park, which is a two-foot diameter circle! 

Also within Portland’s city limits is the Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area, which is the largest protected urban wetland in the United States. It is a habitat for deer, beavers, otters and bald eagles, among other birds and animals. 

Portland is a great city for biking, with many cycling paths and trails, including through Waterfront Park, which follows the river the downtown area, with water and skyline views. Golfers have many courses to choose from, including some courses that have been designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and his son Robert Trent, Jr. One of their courses, Heron Lakes, has been listed as of the top 75 public courses by Golf Digest. 

Special Attraction/Events
Portland is known as the City of Roses, or the Rose City, and has hosted the annual Rose Festival every June for almost a century. This celebration attracts millions of spectators for many featured events, including parades, concerts, a huge flower show, and a fireworks display, among many other offerings. 

Washington Park, in the hills just west of downtown, is home to the Oregon Zoo, the Portland Japanese Garden, and the International Rose Test Garden. Both gardens have wonderful views of the city below. The Japanese Garden has been recognized as one of the most authentic outside of Japan. There are five formal styles of garden set on over five acres, creating a calming and contemplative setting.  

Portland is also well-known for its Jazz Festival, an annual event with performances from some of the finest and most renowned jazz musicians in the world. It is a very popular and anticipated occasion, drawing visitors from many places to this week-long musical celebration.  

There are many other attractions in Portland, including a local symphony, opera, ballet company, and performing arts center. Portland also showcases a world-class collection and visiting exhibits at the Portland Art Museum. Fine dining and shopping are abundant, and there are many colorful neighborhoods to explore throughout the city. 

Interesting Facts/Historic Buildings and Places
In March of 2005, Portland was ranked the #4 best walking city in the U.S, by the American Podiatric Medical Association. 

Pioneer Courthouse, dating from 1875, is the oldest surviving federal building in the Pacific Northwest. Another beautiful historic building is the Pittock Mansion, built by a businessman and newspaper magnate early in the 20th century. 

Portland’s location on the Willamette River allowed ships to come further inland than in other cities, and a major port city developed. It was the major northwest port through much of the 19th century, until the railroad connected the City of Seattle to points east. 

Portland has been well-known for its beer production, ever since Henry Weinhard began brewing at the end of the 19th century. Microbreweries multiplied in Portland in the 1980’s, when state law began to allow beer consumption on brewery premises. Today, Portland is home to more breweries than any other city in the world, with 33 breweries within its city limits.  

Local lore indicated that the city was named by tossing a coin. The founders, Asa Lovejoy and Francis W. Pettygrove, each wanted to name the community for his hometown. It was settled by tossing a coin, and Pettygrove won, naming it after Portland, Maine. 

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