Rivers, Roses, and Rip City: The Remarkable History of Portland

Discover Portland’s vibrant history in a new permanent exhibition at the Oregon Historical Society.

Presented by Oregon Historical Society June 3, 2024 What’s This?

Aerial view of downtown Portland and the Willamette River. Lantern slide, hand-colored by GL Nichols. OHS Research Library, bb015662.

What defines a city? How has the relationship between people, land, and water made Portland the place it is today? These are some of the questions asked in the Oregon Historical Society’s newest permanent exhibition, Rivers, Roses, and Rip City: The Remarkable History of Portland.

Opening June 7 in the museum’s Naito Family Gallery, this interactive installation will allow visitors to learn about the city’s distinctive landscape, the communities that contribute to the vibrant and dynamic identity of Portland, and the history of activism that has transformed its spaces.

Portland’s LGBTQ+ community held its first Gay Pride Fair in 1975 and its first parade in 1977. Now an annual event, the parade and fair are meant to educate and raise awareness around LGBTQ+ issues as well as celebrate the accomplishments of individuals and groups. This photograph is from Portland’s 1987 Gay Pride Parade. OHS Research Library, Mss 2988-1, box 2, folder 14.

“While we are the Oregon Historical Society, our headquarters being located in downtown Portland gives us a distinct opportunity and responsibility to share the history of our city,” said OHS Boyle Family Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk. “Our city has a complex, messy, and inspiring history, and our hope is that folks will walk away from this exhibition with a greater understanding of this city’s past, context for our present, and how each of us can help shape Portland’s future.”

Portland panorama showing the eastside waterfront. OHS Research Library, OrHi 925.

With the flip of a coin, two American businessmen gave Portland its name, but its history is a much more complex story. For hundreds of years, Portland’s location and industries have attracted a multiethnic population who have made it their home. Decisions about how land and water are used, who controls resources, and who benefits from these choices have shaped Portland into the city we know today.

The beauty and economic potential of the city’s land and water draws people to Portland. Indigenous people have stewarded the land since time immemorial. Trappers and settlers arrived in the region in increasing numbers beginning with the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805. Newcomers chose the area at the meeting of two large rivers, the Columbia and Willamette, to become the industrial and population center of what is now known as Oregon.

Walter Cole (1930–2023) was a drag queen, entertainer, and cabaret owner. He began performing as Darcelle XV in 1969 and did so until his death — Guinness World Records declared Darcelle the oldest drag queen performer in 2016. Darcelle wore this crown when she was inaugurated as the 15th Empress of the Imperial Sovereign Rose Court in 1972. The Darcelle XV Showplace in Northwest Portland was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2020. OHS Museum, 2023-10.2.

In 1905, the Weinhard Brewery built a German restaurant called the Bismarck Cafe for the Lewis and Clark Exposition. The brewery introduced a dark draught lager called Kaiser Beer, made exclusively for the restaurant. It was a favorite of many Bismarck patrons and was awarded a Gold Medal by the event’s judges. This mug, which is on view in the exhibition, is believed to have been produced for the 1905 exposition as well. OHS Museum, 2021-3.1.

Inside the exhibition, 500 objects, images, and archival materials from the Oregon Historical Society’s museum and research library collections convey the fascinating events and histories of the Rose City. Interactive elements will test visitors’ knowledge of Portland trivia, provide opportunities to see or hear sporting events or performances, and share areas of cultural interest within local neighborhoods.

Portland Trail Blazers parade in downtown Portland following the 1977 championship win. OHS Research Library, OrHi 91147.

This exhibition reveals the countless ways Portlanders come together — over events like the Rose Festival, a Trail Blazers’ win, or the blossoming of cherry trees — to create and celebrate community.

“For visitors and residents alike, Rivers, Roses, and Rip City celebrates what makes Portland unique,” said Tymchuk.

The Oregon Historical Society’s museum is open daily in downtown Portland, from 10am to 5pm Monday through Saturday and 12pm to 5pm on Sunday. Admission is free every day for OHS members and residents of Multnomah County. Learn more and plan your visit at ohs.org/visit.

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