A Brief History Of Pioneer Courthouse Square Portlands Living Room

Located in the heart of downtown, Pioneer Courthouse Square – dubbed Portland’s “living room” – is a public park and gathering space operated by a non-profit organization. With the help of donations, volunteers, and the City of Portland, the square provides a public space for events, traditions, and annual programming for the community. The space, occupying an entire 40,000-square-foot (3,716-square-meter) city block, opened in 1984, but its history dates back to over a century ago.
The block that would later become the site of the Pioneer Courthouse Square was first purchased in 1849 by shoemaker Elijah Hill for 24 dollars and a pair of boots. In 1856, the school board purchased the block, opening the first public school in Portland – Central School – in 1858. In 1883, Henry Villard bought the block as the site for a new hotel, and the school moved a block north to the present-day American Bank Building. The eight-story Portland Hotel, completed in 1890, contained 326 rooms, a restaurant, ballroom, billiard room, bar, ladies’ parlors, a telegraph office, and a news and cigar stand.

Hotel Portland, circa 1900, Portland, Oregon

In 1951, Meier & Frank purchased the site; the hotel was torn down and replaced with a two-story parking structure. Much of the original stone foundation of the hotel remains under the sidewalks today. In the late 1960s, Meier & Frank proposed another parking structure, but this time plans included a much larger 11-story parking garage. The plan was denied by the City of Portland, prompting the development of a planning program for Portland’s downtown.

Pioneer Courthouse Square flowers (cropped)

By 1974, Portland’s Downtown Plan included the development of a massive public space, the Pioneer Courthouse Square. The city purchased the block, and in early 1980, they announced an international design competition. Legend has it that the winner, a Portland-based team led by acclaimed designer Willard Martin, painted their proposed design on the parking lot that occupied the block before being chosen. The Pioneer Courthouse Square officially opened on April 6, 1984, with a massive celebration that had over 10,000 attendees. By 2004, Pioneer Courthouse Square reached 300 annually programmed event days.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.