Dave Knows Portland

November 14, 1953: Oregon State Inaugurates Parker Stadium

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Sunday Oregonian headline, 15 November 1953On November 14, 1953 Oregon State College’s eleven faced off against the Washington State Cougars in the first football game ever played at the brand new Parker Stadium in Corvallis (The Sunday Oregonian, 15 November 1953). The Beavers, on homecoming day, upset the favored Cougars 7 to 0.

A touchdown plunge by Chuck Brackett, less than two minutes before the close of the first half, supplied the inspired Beavers with their slender but adequate victory margin and turned 13,500 fans, many of them old grads of this fine school, into screaming, back-slapping maniacs.

For Brackett’s dip into the enemy end zone not only wrapped up the second Coast conference triumph for the Orange this season, but also gave ORC the honor of scoring the first points in this spanking new stadium.

Parker Stadium, known as Reser Stadium since June 14, 1999, was named in honor of Charles T. Parker, class of 1907, the Portland businessman who spearheaded fund-raising for the project and played a role in its construction. Oregon State College became Oregon State University in 1961.

November 13, 2009: Cannabis Cafe Opens in Portland

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Cannabis CafeThe grand opening of Portland’s Cannabis Cafe took place on November 13, 2009 – at 4:20pm of course!

Oregon opened another chapter in U.S. marijuana history when at 4:20 p.m. Friday, about three dozen people christened the nation’s first cafe for licensed residents to sit down, sip coffee and smoke marijuana.

The cafe was the first in the country to give certified medical marijuana users a place to get hold of the drug and smoke it — as long as they are out of public view — despite a federal ban.

November 11, 1973: “Peoples Day” on the Fremont Bridge

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In anticipation of its imminent grand opening, to traffic, November 11, 1973 was declared Peoples Day on the Fremont Bridge (The Oregonian, 12 November 1972).

Picture Page in The Oregonian, 12 November 1973Braving a rainy, gusty day, Portlander walked, jogged or bicycled over the Fremont Bridge Sunday, celebrating its grand opening and its first and last day as a “people place.”

Moving out of a wind-whipped shuttle stop at the bridge’s east end, a place of instant craft shops and hot dog stands, pedestrians explored the $82 million span which will open to traffic Nov. 15.

It was easy to ignore the weather, however, in activities of this “Peoples Day.” From morning until evening, taxpayers enjoyed such diversities as crew racing, square dancing, and Finnish-American singing.

Others had more personal business. Old people seemed interested in examining the bolts, new cement and the paint job; stopping to look at new city views.

Youngsters seemed intent on going back and forth. Bill Fuller Jr., 5, and his brother Mark, 2, were perhaps the first tricyclists over the bridge. “They can brag about it someday,” said their father.

Steve Wood, 12, Milwaukie, and Randy Peterson, 13, Portland, defied winds to traverse the span several times on unicycles. “You do it very carefully,” said Steve.

And of course there were Tri-Met buses, balloons, a couple of dog fights and, under foot, the brand new bridge everyone came to see.

The bridge opened to automobile traffic on November 15, 1973.

November 10, 1805: Lewis & Clark Take Shelter Near Dismal Nitch

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Dismal NitchUpon encountering stormy weather on November 10, 1805, only a few miles from their Pacific Ocean goal (and possible rendezvous with a trading ship), members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition took shelter in a small cove under steep cliffs on the north side of the Columbia River.

The rain soaked party spent that night and next day, miserable. As conditions again worsened (hail! lightning!) on the 12th, the party moved a few hundred yards to a small point and were pinned down by the weather for another two days. Finally, on November 15, 1805, Clark recorded in his journal their escape:

About 3 oClock the wind luled, and the river became calm, 〈we〉 I had the canoes loaded in great haste and Set Out, from this dismal nitich where we have been confined for 6 days passed, without the possibility of proceeding on, returning to a better Situation, or get out to hunt, Scerce of Provisions, and torents of rain poreing on us all the time—

The dismal nitich is now known as Dismal Nitch, and Lewis and Clark’s miserable few days is commemorated with a surprisingly pleasant little highway rest area.