Lost Portland — Page 2

Stumptown Stories: The History of Pinball and Gaming in Portland (8-May-2012)

May 8, 2012 by Dave Leave a Comment

Are you fond of pinball and Portland history like I am? Then head down to the Jack London Bar (529 SW 4th Avenue – the basement of the Rialto Pool Room) tonight (Tuesday, May 8, 2012) for a free presentation on The History of Pinball and Gaming in Portland.

Learn all about the old forms of gambling like punch-cards, fan-tan, pinball, slots, and the attendant controversies and scandals that surrounded them. Hear sordid tales of Portland vice! Discover the history of pinball! Before the reforms of the 1960s and 1970s, Portland was a very different kind of town. It was more industrial, less progressive, and in the mid twentieth century, awash with gambling. Coin machines, punch cards, and games of various sorts operated all over town, and the racketeers who ran them worked hand-in-glove with a corrupt police force. In the late 1950s, though, the whole system came crashing down.

Your presenter will be writer and Portland Walking Tours guide and researcher – and native Portlander [so few of us!] – Joe Streckert.

The presentation begins at 7:30 p.m., doors at 7:00 p.m. (no cover!) – arrive early to grab a seat. The Jack London Bar features a full menu and bar – 21 and over only!

The Stumptown Stories series, geared to everyone who loves this city we live in, takes place most Tuesdays at Jack London bar.

Kick Ass Oregon History Presents: The Seventh Day (11-May-2012)

May 6, 2012 by Dave Leave a Comment

Kick Ass Oregon History presents the film The Seventh Day at 5th Avenue Cinema (510 SW Hall) on Friday, May 11, 2012.

Labeled by some in our current era as “The FIRST Occupy Portland,” The Seventh Day was made by Portland State University students, with the help and guidance of the university’s Center for the Moving Image, during the student strikes that erupted on college campuses across the nation in May of 1970. PSU’s campus became the site of a violent confrontation between the Portland police and protesters that sent over 30 to area hospitals. The events leading up to, and the melee itself are all chronicled in this important film. The Oregonian film review of June 5th, 1970 called The Seventh Day “an excellent film about a truly historic event in the history of our community.” My guess is 42 years later, this statement is even more true.

A virgin 16mm copy of the film from the Tom Taylor Collection, Gift of the Taylor Family, Special Collections, Portland State University Library, will be shown. The film’s context will be laid out by orhistory.com’s enthusiastic Resident Historian, Doug Kenck-Crispin. Witness to the 1970 riot, PSU history professor David Horowitz, will speak, and Josh Feinberg will provide live sitar music – no joke!

Admission is a mere $5, and beer and wine will be available. The show begins at 7 p.m.

Prepare yourself for the evening by listening to Park Blocks Riot, Kick Ass Oregon History podcast, Vol 4 #6! Visit ORHistory.com and stay tuned to @Oregon_History on Twitter for further details on the Kick Ass Oregon History podcasts. Catch up on missed episodes at the Kick Ass Oregon History archives.

St. Unicorn’s Day 2012

March 17, 2012 by Dave Leave a Comment

Unicorned Beef Happy St. Unicorn’s Day!

On St. Unicorn’s Day, we drink to remember, instead of our usual reason, drinking to forget.

Those wise words were penned by unicorn scholar Mike Vogel, whose research has also uncovered archeological bones and horns in dirt type of evidence which supports the theory that Portland, Oregon was built upon an ancient unicorn burial ground. Contemporary observations corroborate that there is definitely more to this legend than naysayers will admit. Fortunately the unicorn word continues to spread.

In addition to consuming copious libations, it is traditional to feast on [uni]corned beef and boiled cabbage and root vegetables on this day (if some of this sounds familiar, it is because, like so many religious holidays, St. Patrick’s Day is actually based on an old pagan celebration: St. Unicorn’s Day).

And in 2012 St. Unicorn’s Day is particularly auspicious, as we celebrate it on the same day as National Corndog Day. After [uni]corned beef, I can’t think of any foodstuff more appropriate for celebrating our unicorn forefathers.

So, to all Portlanders everywhere, I wish you a fantastic St. Unicorns Day – and National Corndog Day!

1897 Topographic Map of Portland, Oregon

January 13, 2012 by Dave Leave a Comment

This is a kickass topographic map of 1897 Portland, Oregon (click to embiggen).

The original scan can be found here. The copy above is a slightly lower resolution version of the file uploaded to Wikipedia by user EncMstr, who cleaned up the 100+ years of aging ink and paper by color replacements and sharpening.

Via Reddit!

Oregon History Blogged (3-January-2012)

January 3, 2012 by Dave Leave a Comment

The Wil / Wal Controversy at Cafe Unknown – Willamette won out, but there was a time when Wallamet was a contender. Early Oregonians had strong feelings about the controversy, and often used the debate as a proxy for political arguments.
Reed College Group Scans Poetry Under Light of Moon In Demonstration Against Arresting of Fellow Student at pdx tales – seems in 1947 the Portland Police arrested Reedie Tom Kelly for reading Shelley by moonlight. Bonus: The Oregonian editorial on the matter.
2011 in Review – and in Rhyme at Portland Preservation – Yup, a roundup of 2011 historical preservation stories.
Whiskey and Gin. Oh, and Vodka at Oregon Rediviva – Vodka was #1 in Oregon in 2011. In 1935? Oregonians prefer corn liquor. I the first seven months of 1935, a mere five gallons of Vodka had been sold in the state!
Blitz Brewery Blows Its Top at Dead Memories Portland

– On occasion, when days were warm, “Mt. St. Henry’s” would blow its top, showering those below with beery goodness.

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