View allAll Photos Tagged Portland
A night out on another great weekend in Portland, Oregon
Olympus OMD EM-5 with Panasonic/Lumix G 14mm f2.5 lens
1/60s at f2.5 ISO400
this was the towel in our motel room in portland. on the plus side, this motel was a short walk from the alibi tiki bar. while no tiki ti, the alibi has *great* signage.
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon greets Army National Guard Soldiers on the flightline at the Portland Air National Guard base, Ore, Aug. 19, 2020. The soldiers returned from a nine-month deployment to Qatar. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Valerie R. Seelye, 142nd Wing Public Affairs)
nrhp # 00000703- The Portland Brownstone Quarries are a set of historic quarries in Portland, Connecticut. The brownstone mined from these quarries was an important source for construction in the latter half of the 19th century. The stone from these quarries was used in a number of landmark buildings in Chicago, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., New Haven, Connecticut, and Hartford. The site was listed as a National Historic Landmark, which also placed it on the National Register of Historic Places, on May 16, 2000.
Quarrying on this site began in 1690 by James Stanclift, who contracted with the town of Middletown to build stonework in exchange for a deed of land. Commercial quarrying started in 1783 when the Brainerd Quarry Company began operations. During the peak of the brownstone era, more than 1500 workers were employed by the quarries, which shipped stone on their own ships for eight months out of the year.[5] Proceeds from the quarrying business were deeded to Wesleyan University from 1833 through 1884, and stone from the quarries was used to build many campus buildings.[6] As tastes in buildings shifted, and concrete became the material of choice, the demand for brownstone declined. A flood in 1936 and a hurricane in 1938 flooded the quarries, ending their operations.[5] All efforts to drain the flooded quarries have been unsuccessful; one theory is that the floods opened some underground springs, making it impossible to effectively drain the quarries.
In 1994, a new operator, Connecticut Brownstone Quarries, began a small-scale quarrying operation to provide stone for restoration of brownstone buildings.[5]
The town purchased the historic quarries and 42 acres (170,000 m2) of adjacent land in 1999 and 2000.[5]
A modern-day view of Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park.
The quarries have been leased for development as a recreation center and is currently being operated by Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park, with the hope that awareness of the historic landmark will strengthen the local economy.
Over the years the park has gradually expanded its attractions to include scuba diving, climbing and rappelling, swimming, snorkeling, canoeing and kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, wake boarding, cliff jumping, giant inflatable toys, and challenge courses for group team building. All activities are currently available except for the campground - which is currently under construction.
There are also plans to offer educational programs at the site.[7] Scuba diving is becoming a popular recreational use within the park, with divers coming from all over Connecticut and even some from out of state.
from Wikipedia
Really just basements. The Shanghai Tunnels, less commonly known as the Portland Underground, are a group of passages running underneath Old Town/Chinatown down to the central downtown section of Portland, Oregon, United States. The tunnels connected the basements of many downtown hotels and bars to the waterfront of the Willamette River. They were built to move goods from the ships docked on the Willamette to the basement storage areas, which allowed businesses to avoid streetcar and train traffic on the streets when delivering their goods.
However...
If you’ve ever heard Portland referred to as the Forbidden City of the West and wondered why, a visit to the Shanghai Tunnels could clear things up for you. Then again, it could just raise more questions about a legend that persisted for over 150 years.
If you aren’t familiar with shanghaiing, it refers to the capture and illegal sale of able-bodied men to sea captains in need of crewmen. Unscrupulous (to say the least) middlemen kidnapped men and sold them off to captains for as little as $50 a head. These poor men were then forced to work on ships bound for the Orient with no pay. According to legend as well as some historical data, men were shanghaied in Portland from roughly 1850 to 1941. Things were supposedly at their worst during Prohibition.
It almost sounds too bizarre and horrific to be little more than a myth or legend, but shanghaiing did take place. It was a practice that occurred in Portland as well as other locations along the West Coast. What is questioned is the means by which it was carried out in Portland, and the relationship if any between the Portland Underground and shanghai practices.
The Shanghai Tunnels or Portland Underground consist of tunnel passages linking Portland’s Old Town (Chinatown) to the central downtown area of Portland. The basements of many downtown bars and hotels were linked to the Willamette River waterfront through the tunnels, allowing supplies to be moved from ships docked there directly to basements for storage. Although many residents used to doubt it was true, the catacombs snaking beneath the city do in fact exist.
Since the mid-19th century, stories have been told about shanghai practices in Portland. Not only men but women, too were warned to take care against being drugged or kidnapped and hauled off for sale. Women were allegedly shanghaied for use as prostitutes rather than ship’s laborers. Although other ports along the West Coast including San Francisco are said to have been centers of shanghai activity, Portland’s underground tunnels are claimed to have made the practice much more manageable and wide-spread than in other areas.
According to those theories, victims were either drugged, kidnapped while intoxicated or simply knocked out, then dropped or dragged into the tunnels through trapdoors called deadfalls. Once in the tunnels, they were locked in specially designed prison cells and held captive until they were shipped off as slave laborers.
Portland Headline, 1908- During Prohibition, it is said that bars moved their operations underground, as well, making it easier than ever for unsuspecting victims to be shanghaied. Some researchers estimate that as many as 1,500 people a year were shanghaied through Portland’s Underground. Entire scenarios about the practices and experiences of the shanghaied in the tunnels have been created and elaborated on over the years.
The catacombs beneath Portland do exist and the stories almost sound plausible, but is the legend true? What evidence exists to support the allegations that these tunnels were used for shanghaiing? Is there any evidence at all?
You can take a tour aimed at demonstrating the validity of the Shanghai legend and decide for yourself, but so far the evidence does appear to be scanty to say the least. You can imagine that what is there, could have been created any time rather than during the 19th century. The persistent oral history of the legends is somewhat convincing, but remember historians don’t doubt shanghaiing took place in port cities of the West, including Portland. What they doubt is the connection between the tunnels, the basements of hotels and bars, and the kidnapping.
There is no historical record or evidence of shanghaiing being practiced in the tunnels from the time period it is said to have taken place. In fact, the earliest mention of a connection between the practice of Shanghaiing and the tunnels dates from the 1970s. Historians assert that even in the event of a massive cover-up effort, it is unlikely there would be no evidence of the practice whatsoever from the era when it was supposedly at its peak.
Evidence may finally be forthcoming, and if it is as convincing as promised, it could settle the question about Portland’s Underground once and for all. Michael P. Jones is the founder of a group offering tours of Portland’s Underground and is a proponent of the Shanghai Tunnel theory. He claims to have obtained undisputable evidence of the practice that will be revealed in a forthcoming book. The evidence supposedly consists of documents, photos and other proof of Shanghai activity.
Until the book is released or other proof surfaces, the legend of Portland’s Shanghai Tunnels remains just that – a myth individuals must decide about for themselves. Being able to explore the legend and form your own opinion is of course what makes the Shanghai Tunnels so appealing. If proof finally does come out confirming the story, it’s doubtful it will make the legend any more or less interesting than it already is.
One question that will probably come to mind on your visit to Portland’s Tunnels may haunt you more than what you believe you see. If history already confirms that shanghaiing took place in Portland, why on earth wouldn’t the tunnels have been used as a means of transporting the kidnapped?.
Portland Head Light is located in at the southern end to Portland Harbor, Casco Bay near Cape Elizabeth, Maine USA. It was built in 1791.
More from the vaults. This is down on the quarried ledges on the east side of Portland; choppy seas breaking over the ledge and heavy skies passing overhead. Converted to black and white and upped the contrast to help highlight the shapes and movement.
Portland Head Light is Maine's oldest lighthouse built in 1891. The tower is 80 feet high. Cape Elizabeth.
Really just basements. The Shanghai Tunnels, less commonly known as the Portland Underground, are a group of passages running underneath Old Town/Chinatown down to the central downtown section of Portland, Oregon, United States. The tunnels connected the basements of many downtown hotels and bars to the waterfront of the Willamette River. They were built to move goods from the ships docked on the Willamette to the basement storage areas, which allowed businesses to avoid streetcar and train traffic on the streets when delivering their goods.
However...
If you’ve ever heard Portland referred to as the Forbidden City of the West and wondered why, a visit to the Shanghai Tunnels could clear things up for you. Then again, it could just raise more questions about a legend that persisted for over 150 years.
If you aren’t familiar with shanghaiing, it refers to the capture and illegal sale of able-bodied men to sea captains in need of crewmen. Unscrupulous (to say the least) middlemen kidnapped men and sold them off to captains for as little as $50 a head. These poor men were then forced to work on ships bound for the Orient with no pay. According to legend as well as some historical data, men were shanghaied in Portland from roughly 1850 to 1941. Things were supposedly at their worst during Prohibition.
It almost sounds too bizarre and horrific to be little more than a myth or legend, but shanghaiing did take place. It was a practice that occurred in Portland as well as other locations along the West Coast. What is questioned is the means by which it was carried out in Portland, and the relationship if any between the Portland Underground and shanghai practices.
The Shanghai Tunnels or Portland Underground consist of tunnel passages linking Portland’s Old Town (Chinatown) to the central downtown area of Portland. The basements of many downtown bars and hotels were linked to the Willamette River waterfront through the tunnels, allowing supplies to be moved from ships docked there directly to basements for storage. Although many residents used to doubt it was true, the catacombs snaking beneath the city do in fact exist.
Since the mid-19th century, stories have been told about shanghai practices in Portland. Not only men but women, too were warned to take care against being drugged or kidnapped and hauled off for sale. Women were allegedly shanghaied for use as prostitutes rather than ship’s laborers. Although other ports along the West Coast including San Francisco are said to have been centers of shanghai activity, Portland’s underground tunnels are claimed to have made the practice much more manageable and wide-spread than in other areas.
According to those theories, victims were either drugged, kidnapped while intoxicated or simply knocked out, then dropped or dragged into the tunnels through trapdoors called deadfalls. Once in the tunnels, they were locked in specially designed prison cells and held captive until they were shipped off as slave laborers.
Portland Headline, 1908- During Prohibition, it is said that bars moved their operations underground, as well, making it easier than ever for unsuspecting victims to be shanghaied. Some researchers estimate that as many as 1,500 people a year were shanghaied through Portland’s Underground. Entire scenarios about the practices and experiences of the shanghaied in the tunnels have been created and elaborated on over the years.
The catacombs beneath Portland do exist and the stories almost sound plausible, but is the legend true? What evidence exists to support the allegations that these tunnels were used for shanghaiing? Is there any evidence at all?
You can take a tour aimed at demonstrating the validity of the Shanghai legend and decide for yourself, but so far the evidence does appear to be scanty to say the least. You can imagine that what is there, could have been created any time rather than during the 19th century. The persistent oral history of the legends is somewhat convincing, but remember historians don’t doubt shanghaiing took place in port cities of the West, including Portland. What they doubt is the connection between the tunnels, the basements of hotels and bars, and the kidnapping.
There is no historical record or evidence of shanghaiing being practiced in the tunnels from the time period it is said to have taken place. In fact, the earliest mention of a connection between the practice of Shanghaiing and the tunnels dates from the 1970s. Historians assert that even in the event of a massive cover-up effort, it is unlikely there would be no evidence of the practice whatsoever from the era when it was supposedly at its peak.
Evidence may finally be forthcoming, and if it is as convincing as promised, it could settle the question about Portland’s Underground once and for all. Michael P. Jones is the founder of a group offering tours of Portland’s Underground and is a proponent of the Shanghai Tunnel theory. He claims to have obtained undisputable evidence of the practice that will be revealed in a forthcoming book. The evidence supposedly consists of documents, photos and other proof of Shanghai activity.
Until the book is released or other proof surfaces, the legend of Portland’s Shanghai Tunnels remains just that – a myth individuals must decide about for themselves. Being able to explore the legend and form your own opinion is of course what makes the Shanghai Tunnels so appealing. If proof finally does come out confirming the story, it’s doubtful it will make the legend any more or less interesting than it already is.
One question that will probably come to mind on your visit to Portland’s Tunnels may haunt you more than what you believe you see. If history already confirms that shanghaiing took place in Portland, why on earth wouldn’t the tunnels have been used as a means of transporting the kidnapped?.
Caught this one just at dusk. It was the kind of (wet) frigid cold (typical of the Maine seacoast) that makes your fingers stick to your tripod! Eee gads, what we do in an attempt to get a decent picture! (reminds me of "the Christmas story", and the boy who's tongue stuck to the flagpole!)
The Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic, or STP, is an annual one and two day supported bicycle ride from Seattle, Washington to Portland, Oregon in the United States. The STP is considered one of the 10 biggest recreational bicycle rides in the country, drawing riders from across the nation and from other nations", and has been operating for more than 25 years. The ride is organized by the Cascade Bicycle Club. It is approximately 200 miles (322 km) in length. Most riders complete the distance in two days; however, about 15% complete the ride in one day.
The ride takes place on the second or third weekend in July mostly on country roads, avoiding the direct freeway (U.S. Interstate 5) route between the cities. The Cascade Bicycle Club describes the 2006 route as "pretty flat with the “Big Hill” coming at the 45-mile mark. It’s a mile long with about a 7 percent grade. ... The majority of the ride is on beautiful, rolling rural roads. In 2005 approximately 30 miles (48 km) of the 202 miles (325 km) were considered uphill with a combined ascent of approximately 2,000 feet (600 m).
The halfway point is near the towns of Centralia and Chehalis in Washington. For two-day riders, the hotels and guesthouses in the area cannot accommodate the thousands of cyclists, so schools, churches and other charitable organizations provide indoor spaces for riders to sleep and food for a fee. Some riders also arrange to camp in parks or fields near the halfway point.
The ride is supported, meaning that food is provided at stops approximately every 25 miles (40 km) along the route. In 2004 volunteers handed out "more than 11,000 bananas, 4 tons of watermelon, 13,000 bagels and 18,000 sandwiches". There is some mechanical support. The Cascade Bicycle Club also arranges transportation for riders to Seattle the day before as well as a return trip to Seattle after the ride.
The first STP took place in 1979 and was a race. The ride has taken place every year since except in 1980 when it was canceled because of the eruption of Mount St. Helens. An alternative ride from Seattle to Vancouver, British Columbia was arranged that year. This new ride became the annual Ride from Seattle to Vancouver, BC and Party (RSVP). The following year Cascade Bicycle Club changed the event from a race to "recreational ride". Jerry Baker from Seattle was the winner of the first STP race. Baker and Paul Wantzelius from Maple Valley, Washington are the only people who have ridden every STP. Despite being a cycling event people have taken part on unicycles, inline skates and a skateboard.
Participation reached a peak in 1991 when the limit of 10,000 riders took part. In recent years the Cascade Bicycle Club has imposed a limit on the number of participants. The limit was 9,000 in 2007.