ashland oregon shakespeare festival

A city by any other name would not smell so sweet. Portland, Oregon is one of many scintillating emeralds in the crown of the Pacific Northwest. Though overshadowed by Seattle to the north and Vancouver, even farther north, Portland has remained a vibrant, thriving city. It is the third most populous city in the Pacific Northwest, after Seattle and Vancouver, and the largest city in Oregon.

Voted one of the fifteen greenest cities in the United States by the Environmental News and Commentary, Portland is a city split by the Willamette and Columbia rivers. It is home to approximately two million residents, making it the 23rd most populous metropolitan area in the continental United States.

The area was part of an immense 640-acre land claim founded by William Overton. Though Overton lacked the funds to complete the purchase of the land grant, he successfully invited his partner in Boston, Massachusetts, Asa Lovejoy, to share the financial burden. Lovejoy agreed, though Overton eventually sold his share of the land grant to Francis Pettygrove of Portland, Maine. As both Lovejoy and Pettygrove were keen on naming the area after their respective hometowns, the men agreed to flip a coin. As Pettygrove won two of the three tosses, the area was named Portland. The coin, a penny, is now on public display at the Oregon Historical Society.

The city could only claim 800 residents when it was incorporated in 1851. By 1879 the population had swelled to 17,500. Today, it claims nearly two million residents and to accommodate this mass of humanity, the city has embraced a fervent land-use zoning initiative. This initiative calls for the extensive use of light rail and an effective Metro system to combat traffic and pollution.

Portland is renown for its wealth of microbreweries and distilleries, as well as for being the home of the Portland Trail Blazers. Though sports are popular in Portland, the NBA is the only major sports franchise to call the city home. The city is an artistic and cultural pulse point, offering tourists a wealth of museums, galleries, and live venues to enjoy. Subsequently, the Portland hotel scene is vast and accommodating.

ashland oregon shakespeare festival

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The Portland hotel selection is phenomenal. Families or individuals on a budget are sure to find a cozy, well-appointed room waiting for them. Stop, take a minute, and smell the roses.

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