Destination: Portland Oregon - Photographic Society of America Regional Convention, June 13-16, 1991

PSA Journal, Jan, 1991 by Susie V. Rydquist

Destination: Portland Oregon

Horace Greeley, American statesman and journalist, advised some 140 years ago, "Go west young man, go west..." This year the convention committee would like to invite all photographers and PSA members alike to come to the northwest, and come to Portland, Oregon for the 1991 PSA Regional Convention from June 13-16.

The Cascade Chapter and the Columbia Council are co-hosting a convention you will not want to ignore. For what better chance is there to share the comaraderie of fellow photographers, to enjoy diverse photographic programs and to capture the many photographic opportunities that abound in the area than during your stay at the PSA Portland Regional Convention. The Portland Convention will accomplish all of this and more.

The Portland Convention will be a splendid time to invigorate those winter-wearied bodies, reawaken your senses and rejuvenate your photographic psyche. For spring in Portland is refreshing mists, verdant greens, thundering waterfalls and inviting scents of western flowers. Flowers will truly be abundant: For You a Rose in Portland Grows. And what better time for a convention/vacation than one packaged around the Rose Festival, the second largest of its kind in the nation, and the biggest three-week event in Oregon.

Portland is the largest city in Oregon with a metropolitan population of half a million. It is the financial, commercial and industrial center of the Columbia River basin. A city of 123 square miles on both sides of the Willamette River, it rises to commanding magnificent views of the river valleys and the snowclad summits of Mt. Hood. Mt. St. Helens, in Washington, is an omnipresent sight to Portlanders as often as Mt. Hood.

The Willamette River, one of only three rivers in the world that flow north, divides the city east and west. The Columbia River which winds its way through the Columbia Gorge to the Pacific, is the northern boundary of Portland. The weather is mild with an average temperature around 65 degrees. The average annual precipitation is around 42 inches, but don't worry, 32 inches of it fall during the winter months. So don't let the much-maligned Portland rain dampen your spirit as it is mostly gentle mist and the annual rainfall totals are most often lower than east coast cities.

The City of Roses, Portland, could well be called the City of Bridges for 11 bridges span the Willamette River and two cross the mighty Columbia. The waterways provide attractive and photographic sights, as well as year-round recreation and entertainment. The Rose Festival Fleet which represents vessels from all over the world attracts many visitors when the ships are open to the public for a few days. The river also serves as a route for the Grand Floral Parade and at least one bridge is usually filled to capacity with viewers.

Another moniker you could hang on Portland is, it is the City of Parks and Fountains. Of about 300 or so blocks that comprise downtown Portland, 50 are parks and plazas with most being graced with statues and fountains. Among the fountains, the Salmon Street Fountain fascinates onlookers when the 100 water jets display programmed shapes and forms to suit the mood. The Ira's Fountain with its multilevel waterfalls, pools and rivulets is the most masive and is across the Civic Auditorium. The historic Skidmore Fountain near the Waterfront Park and Burnside Bridge is the oldest and more precious.

Of the more than 160 parks and plazas, the Pioneer Courthouse Square with a kaleidoscope of daily entertainment and events is Portland's Outdoor Living Room. The brick plaza was created with donations from citizens and companies whose names appear on the bricks. Reflective of Portland courtesy and decorum, is a live-looking bronze businessman with an umbrella, and is appropriately titled "Allow Me." At noon daily, a whimsical weather machine signals the day's weather with a symbol indicative of the element. This novel square, complete with a bistro and chessboard, is a pleasant and relaxing refuge for downtown workers and visitors as its waterfall-fountain cascades leisurely over bright lavender tiles.

Besides the downtown attractions, nearby areas offer many opportunities to keep the camera clicking. Just a few miles up the west hills is Washington Park where you will find luscious gardens, a zoo, as well as a museum, forestry center, and memorial. Of special pride to Portlanders is the International Rose Test Gardens. Ten thousand roses of 400 varieties are planted on three terraces. A calendar shot of the roses, the downtown skyline and Mt. Hood, 50 miles away can be photographed from the Queen's Walk. Another "must see" beauty is the Japanese Garden. Here, an authentic tea house built in Japan is a favorite for many. Just outside of the tea house is an awesome view of Mt. Hood, barring cloud cover.

A showcase to Oregon's most important industry is the World Forestry Center. Its exhibits include a 70-foot talking tree, an acclaimed slide program and a century-old Jessup collection of wood samples from every species of trees growing in our continent. Also worth exploring is the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI). This top-drawing attraction has entertaining hands-on exhibits that give an insight into life on earth, space and computer science.