Guide Book Category: Additional Resources

A new flag approved in 2002 by the Portland City Council is the city’s fifth official flag since 1917. Changes to the flag remove the City Seal from the canton and widen the blue stripes, thereby returning the design to the one submitted by Douglas Lynch in 1969, but changed by the City Council at that time. The design is intended to be more pleasing to the eye and cheaper to reproduce. The flag uses green, yellow, blue and white: green on the four background rectangles to represent forest land, yellow stripes to represent agriculture and commerce, and blue stripes to represent the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. Narrow white stripes outline the yellow and blue and the stripes intersect at a white star representing the City of Portland.

On June 5, 1878 the City of Portland did ordain a seal described as follows:

“The seal to be hereafter used and known as the seal of the City of Portland shall consist of a female figure in the center thereof, representing Commerce, and holding in her right hand a trident and pointing with her left to a sheaf of wheat and a forest, with a representation of Mount Hood in the background, and at her feet a cogwheel and hammer, and on her right a steamship coming into port. Said seal shall also have the words “City of Portland, Oregon” in the outer rim thereof, also the figure “1851,” the date of the incorporation of the City of Portland….”

On September 17, 1964 a modern version of the original seal was made official. In October 1985 the Lady Commerce on the seal was the theme for Raymond Kaskey’s sculpture Portlandia.

Early City

On the Early City tour, you will join your guide for a walk through one of Portland’s oldest business and residential districts. This area is noted for having the second largest collection of mid-Victorian cast iron architecture in the world. You will see the refurbished New Market Theatre, which was built in 1872 and marked the beginning of Oregon’s cultural heritage. Another historic landmark you will visit is the Merchant’s Hotel, which was built in the 1880s and is noted for its light well that provides interior light to the restaurants and shops that it currently houses. Other interesting sights along this tour are:

• Skidmore Fountain – originally built as a drinking fountain for men, horses, and dogs
• Portland’s Chinatown – a glimpse of the refurbishing of this area
• The waterfront area, including the Japanese American Historical Plaza 
• The high-water mark of the 1894 flood

Life in the City

The Life in the City tour introduces you to the flavor of a Pacific Northwest city. Emphasis is placed on the historical as well as the expanding skyline of Portland. As you travel from the city’s cultural district to its business and government center area, historic and contemporary works of public art are highlighted. Some of the sights you may see are:

• The First Congregational Church
• Portland Center for the Performing Arts
• Portlandia
• The restored City Hall
• Mark Hatfield Federal Courthouse

Becoming a City

The Becoming a City tour enables you to follow the history of the city’s architecture, from its first skyscraper to Big Pink. You will see the terra cotta details on historic buildings, the classical works of the early 20^th century and the sleek modernism of the present. The transit mall, the hub of the Tri-Met system, is a gallery of fountains and sculpture, which lead you to Pioneer Courthouse and Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland’s “living room.” Also featured are:

• Historic banks
• Benson Hotel
• Central Library
• Big Pink
• Embassy Suites Hotel
• Pioneer Courthouse

The Urban Tour Group of Portland, Oregon, was founded in 1970 by a core group of members of the Women’s Architectural League, which at that time was an auxiliary of the local chapter of the League of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and some women who were wives of architects. By providing downtown walking tours to school children, the founders were seeking to create an appreciation of the city’s architecture and an awareness of their surroundings – natural as well as manmade. The tours were designed to help the children develop a sense of responsibility for their city and to provide a sense of the city’s past, present and future.

The local AIA chapter was a sponsor of Urban Tour Group, and AIA members assisted at the outset with development of the tours, as well as with the initial training program for guides. The Portland Art Museum, which had been operating a docent program for many years, was also a sponsor and helped with the initial organization. Though not an official sponsor, the Oregon Historical Society also provided significant support.

The public schools were at that time organizing an environmental education program for their teachers and were very enthusiastic about the tour. They offered content suggestions and cooperated in making the teachers aware of the tour. Portland Public Schools has funded various Urban Tour Group projects in the past and continues to support the group today.

In 1974, Urban Tour Group became a project of the Junior League of Portland, which provided needed financial assistance and tour guides. Today Urban Tour Group is a self-sufficient non-profit organization, operating completely independently.

The organization’s priorities continue to include comprehensive on-going training for guides, who learn from each other by means of “walk-abouts” and shadowing, from the educational nature of the monthly general meetings and through periodic retraining activities. Another priority is to maintain positive working relationships with community organizations and businesses.

Urban Tour Group currently offers three separate tours for students. Each tour is two hours long and includes an emphasis on art and architecture, the ecology of the Willamette River, the history of Portland, and an understanding of what is meant by good citizenship. While students from different grade levels may take the tour, the content is designed to extend the social studies and science curricula from third through sixth grade into the broader community. The organization provides assistance with transportation costs to low-income schools through its yearly fund-raising program.

Over the past 50 years, the names and content of the tours have evolved. The original tour was called A City Environmental Tour. This tour’s name has since changed to Life in the City. It provides a visual feast of rich, varied architecture, and creates an awareness of the urban environment. Highlights include public art work and sculptures, the trompe l’oeil mural at the Oregon History Center, the Park Blocks, First Congregational Church, Performing Arts Center, Portlandia, City Hall, the Justice Center, and the Mark Hatfield Federal Courthouse.

The Old Town Walking Tour was introduced in 1974 in response to a growing interest in historic preservation in Portland, and the need to familiarize the children with downtown history. This tour is now called Early City and is noted for covering the oldest commercial district with its large collection of mid-Victorian cast-iron buildings. It includes the Bill Naito Legacy Fountain in Waterfront Park, the New Market Theater, the Skidmore Fountain, the Japanese American Historical Plaza, Chinatown and the China Gate, the Embassy Suites, and the Merchant Hotel.

The Mall Tour, which began in 1978 and was renamed the Art and Architecture Tour in 1989, is now called Becoming a City. It highlights Portland’s unique Transit Mall. Included are many examples of public art, famous fountains, Pioneer Courthouse Square and historic buildings such as the Benson Hotel, US Bank Tower, Pioneer Courthouse, US Bank Building and the Multnomah County Library.

 Downtown Walking Tours for adults and families were made available for a fee for multiple years.  This practice was discontinued as alternative sources of paid tours were made available to adult. The Waterfront Tour was added for Middle School students in 2006 to emphasize the importance of the Willamette River to the development of Portland as a major port city, and the resulting impact on the environment. Due to scheduling difficulties with middle schools, this tour was discontinued.

Today, Urban Tour Group’s trained volunteers tour over 6,000 school children each year to help extend their classroom curriculum out into the broader community. It is hoped that these children will go on to become the future caretakers and protectors of their city.

Since its inception, Urban Tour Group has received recognition from the local media, SUNSET magazine (1974) and many architectural publications as well as an award from the Portland Beautification Association and the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects. In 1990, Urban Tour Group celebrated 20 years of existence. Along with specially planned events, the group was proud to be the subject of a commemorative poster. In 1999, Urban Tour Group received the Excellence in Action award from Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. This award seeks to “recognize and honor women of Washington County who have made outstanding and continuing contributions in volunteer service to their community, particularly as it is related to education, to children or to the general welfare of its citizens.” To honor our 40^th anniversary in 2010, a proclamation was issued by the office of the Mayor of Portland, which acknowledged the outstanding service provided by Urban Tour Group to the community over the past 40 years.  On the 50th anniversary many members attended the Mayor’s Proclamation making January 8^th UTG Day.  The proclamation said:

“Now, therefore, I, Ted Wheeler, Mayor of the City of Portland, Oregon, the “City of Roses,” do hereby proclaim January 8^th, 2020 to be Urban Tour Group Day  in Portland, and encourage all residents to observe this day as Urban Tour Group Day as members continue to celebrate their 50^th year Anniversary.”

Urban Tour Group offers its increasingly mixed male and female membership a fascinating means of self-enrichment with a wealth of interesting speakers: artists, historians, teachers, architects, city planners and business men and women. It offers an opportunity to go behind the facades of a variety of Portland’s structures . . . old, new, restored, controversial and spectacular. Members learn from one another about current events in Portland and deepen their understanding of Portland’s history through research and the sharing of information. Being a member of Urban Tour Group is indeed a unique service opportunity and a truly rewarding educational experience.

Over the past 50 years, the Urban Tour Group has received  impressive recognition ranging from several local newspaper articles highlighting UTG and its tours to magazine articles as well as civic awards and honors.

Awards and Honors  

• In 1984, the Historical Landmarks Commission awarded UTG with its Certificate of Merit.  The Certificate of Merit stated, “For outstanding public service especially to our citizens in broadening awareness of Portland’s heritage and its unique urban environment.”
• In 1986, the Salem-Keizer School District presented UTG with its Award of Appreciation for Outstanding Service to Children.
• In 1990, Mayor Bud Clark issued a proclamation for UTG’s 20^th anniversary of “Outstanding and meaningful service to Oregon school children and Portland.”
• In 1995, the Association for Portland Progress presented the UTG on its 25^th anniversary a Certificate of Appreciation for “Your contribution to a healthy, well-maintained and attractive downtown is appreciated.”
• In 1995, Mayor Vera Katz issued a proclamation for its 25^th anniversary of “Outstanding and meaningful service to Oregon school children and Portland.”
• In 1999, Delta Kappa Gamma Society International honored UTG “For excellence in action for community service.”
• In 2008 UTG was nominated for the Oregon Governor’s Award “For our outstanding volunteer program.”
• In 2010, to honor UTS’s 40^th anniversary, a proclamation was issued by the office of Mayor Sam Adams acknowledging “The outstanding service provided by UTG to the community over the last 40 years.”
• In 2020, Mayor Ted Wheeler issued a proclamation honoring “ UTG’s 50 years of service to school children and the city of Portland.”
• In 2020,  Senator Ron Wyden presented UTG with a Letter of Appreciation stating “I write to congratulate you on the 50^thAnniversary of the Urban Tour Group!  Since 1970, Urban Tour Group’s volunteers have helped young people learn about Portland’s history.  This unique program educates students and helps instill a deeper understanding of their community – with more than 190,000 children from nine school districts having participated over 50 years.”

Magazine Articles

Magazine articles featuring the Urban Tour Group appeared first in Sunset Magazine as early as 1974.  That article, entitled A Walk in Downtown Portland…”the urban environment as a sensuous experience”, focused on the early years of UTG presenting its first two tours, City Environmental and Old Town.  In 1982, the Portland Magazine told the story of UTG’s founding through a lively article with pictures entitled, “It’s All Here:  Places to go/sights to see/things to do.”  The Walking Magazine in 1991 wrote about walking tours in downtown Portland and the Urban Tour Group was highlighted for its comprehensive tours of the city.  In conjunction with its 25^th anniversary in 1995, Sunset Magazine presented information about the three tours now offered by UTG, City Environmental, Old Town, and Mall Tour.     

The Press

There have been numerous articles about the UTG in the local press, especially The Oregonian during its early years of development.  All of these article helped launch UTG’s service to the Portland area and to continue to tell the story of UTG by featuring its tours, its volunteers, and its community service to students and adults.  Several of these articles are included to provide examples of these many positive stories of UTG and the tours it provides.

As a part of UTG’s 50^th anniversary celebrations, members were asked to contribute statements of what the Urban Tour Group meant to them.  These heartfelt comments were published in the monthly editions of UTG’s Gazette in 2020.  The following are those member contributions.

• We all know that every tour has its surprises, and these make some of our favorite memories.  Recently I had two tours close together and our group was able to meet Mayor Ted Wheeler both times!

The first time, the Mayor greeted kids in his office reception area he asked if anyone had any questions about the City of Portland.  There was silence and then one little boy asked very earnestly, if the Mayor could please tell him what year Simon Benson donated the Benson Bubblers to the City.  The Mayor glanced at me and we both smiled.  He quickly gestured to his staff member at the desk to look that up on the computer.  The Mayor then proudly informed the kids “1916”.  We thanked him and all were pleased.

A few days later, the circumstances were different.  A contentious budget meeting was just ending in the Council Chambers.  The security person told us to wait close to the elevators and he would make sure the Mayor saw us.  Sure enough the Mayor was escorted out by security, looking very strained.  I asked Mr. Wheeler if he would speak to the kids.  He welcomed them to City Hall and asked if they had any questions for him.  The kids were kind of overwhelmed by the commotion and no one spoke up.

So I looked the Mayor in the eye and asked him if he could tell us what year Simon Benson donated the bubblers.  The Mayor broke into a broad smile and answered, “1916”!!  He nodded at me, laughing and his entourage moved on.  I like to think that UTG lightened his day a little bit, the kids were thrilled, and I had a memorable tour.  Noreen O’Connor

• When I started touring for UTG in 1986, the Mall Tour had recently been added as a tour.  The transportation Mall was newly completed in our city and there was a lot of art on the Mall to share with the children.  The only problem was that the Mall Tour started in the Park Blocks in the same place as the City Environmental Tour (Life in the City).  If both tours were scheduled on the same day, we were falling all over each other.  Both tours went into the First Congregational Church which got very crowded and then the Mall tour headed North and City tour headed South.  After touring for several years, it occurred to me that a simple solution was to start the Mall tour at the U.S Bancorp Tower (Big Pink) and the Plaza.  With the permission of the President, Gail Kearns, Patti Elliott and I began to research the buildings at the end of town.  We found many interesting buildings.  To list a few:  Wells Fargo Building, First National Bank Building, The Commonwealth Building, U.S Bank Building, The Benson Hotel, former Bank of California Building , Vintage Plaza Hotel, Charles F. Berg Building, Pioneer Place Meier & Frank Building, Pioneer Courthouse and Square and The Central Library.  In 1989 we presented our plan to the membership and we proposed that the tour be called the Art & Architecture Tour since we had added many more buildings besides the art on the Mall.  The membership approved the change and the Mall Tour became the Art & Architecture Tour, which started at the U.S. Bancorp Tower and headed south to end at the Central Library.  Gail Carr

• Committee member Marilyn Schulte visited Barbara Fritz who has been a member of UTG since 1974.  She wanted to find out more about the early days and the responsibilities of the members.  Barbara toured in what is now Early City and Becoming a City.  Visiting with Barbara helped her to truly understand why Urban Tour Group is such a strong organization.  She was a mother with young children, worked part time and also helped to build Urban Tours.  Barbara shared that she was always interested in history, following in her mother’s footsteps.  One day she saw a recruiting article in the newspaper about a new organization Urban Tour Group.  With her interest in history she decided to make contact.  Barbara took the training and was very impressed by the lectures from architects and the involvement of the architect wives.  Barbara shared that her uncle by marriage once owned Erickson’s Saloon.  He sold it to Bill Naito who provided a talk and tour to Urban Tours at one of their General Meetings.  She shared many stories of her 46 years.  As a side, Barbara’s daughter became an architect.  Barbara said that she was influenced by following her mother around so often as she practiced  her tours.  I asked Barbara why she remained a member for so many years.  She said that is learning about history, the excellent programs at General Meetings and the people.  She said that she wants to encourage people to be supportive and to help keep a worthwhile organization growing. 

Marilyn Schulte also contacted several of our long time members to check in and ask questions about UTG.  What brought you to UTG?  How has UTG enriched your life?  What about UTG is important to you?  Why do you stay involved?  The following members were contacted by Marilyn.

• One of the founding members, Joyce Loeb, recruited Gerel Blauer who has been a member since 1972,  She said that she grew up in Portland but learned so much as a volunteer with UTG.  She said that she is a curious person and one little gem of an idea perpetuates the next story.  She believes that it is important to maintain the integrity of our city and UTG makes that happen.  She said  that UTG was started by Portlanders, but now so many are newcomers with new ideas which has helped to keep it strong.  She loved touring the children and seeing their excitement.  She liked helping them see the buildings with an artistic eye from the cobblestone streets to the dentils to the sky.  Gerel said she likes to stay involved because it is important to continually learn.
• Sue Friedman joined UTG in 1975.  She remembers riding to a Trailblazer game with Gerel Blauer who was telling her all about this wonderful organization and invited her to join.  Sue said that she was busy with her family and hadn’t been very involved in the community before.  She loved being downtown, learning about her city and touring the children.  Sue said that the members are so nice and it was just a lovely thing to do.  She went on numerous Spring Trips.  They were so well done and so much fun.  Sue tries to come to as many General Meetings as possible and hopes to continue when we have meetings once again (UTG meetings were suspended because of the Covid pandemic).  
• Ginny Achterman became a member of UTG in 1986.  She learned about UTG from Gail Carr, Jean Wilson, and Sandy Anderson.  Their husbands all worked together as physicians and also gathered as couples.  Ginny said that it is a great organization and “there is nothing like eight 3^rd graders to get your juices going”.  She learned so much about Portland .  Ginny said that all of the people that she has met have really enriched her life.   She continues to attend meeting when she can because of the people and the programs.  
• Mary Lou Shields joined UTG in 1990.  She was recruited by her neighbor Ruth Bentley who came to her door and said, “you have to join my organization”.  She did and said that it was a wonderful gift.  The chance of meeting all of these wonderful members would not have happened otherwise.  She had lived in 11 different cities in the 9 years before moving to Portland and when she arrived here she said that she was never leaving.  She learned so much about Portland and loved being with the kids, just got a kick out of them and their truthfulness.  One of her love letters said, “you were the best tourist that I ever met”.  The Spring trips were great and believes she went on 10 of them, one being on a flight to San Francisco and another to Victoria where she had a new experience of a flight on a sea plane.  She has continued to   attend meetings as she can because of the programs and the members.
• Donna Jordan joined UTG in 1998.  She was invited to take the training by Marietta Kuykendall.  Donna says that the group is so interesting.  Being downtown and touring small groups of children is really fun and it keeps her skills as a teacher honed.  She loved the funny stories that the children tell.  She has enjoyed sharing skills with others.  She particularly talked about the transformation when we became computerized.  She said that the General Meeting minutes used to be read at each meeting and comments and changes were made.  Donna said that she has always been amazed by how it all comes together and runs so well.  Donna enjoys the meetings, the people, places and things that she learns.
• Krista McKillip joined UTG in 2005.  Krista retired from teaching and decided that she was going to take a year to decide what she wanted to do.  Her friends, Marilyn Sabala and Joanne Bruno, invited her to attend the UTG Symposium just to hear about it.  She did and found herself signing up, interviewing, and training.  That was the end of deciding what she wanted to do.   She loved working with kids and it kept her involved in a manageable way.  She made new friends, participated in UTG activities, and enjoyed the Spring and Fall trips.  Krista said that the meetings have been so good.  She attended the meeting with Dr Burns speaking about geology and found that he was a professor at PSU.  Shortly after the meeting she went to PSU and signed up for his class.  Krista said that she really misses the meetings during this pandemic and has been working to keep in touch with friends.  
• Joanne Bruno joined UTG in 2002.  Joanne was gardening on a rainy day at her Irvington home when a friend walked by. She introduced Joanne to her friend, Mary Kay DeBenedetti, and they continued to talk in the rain for the next hour.  They told her about Urban Tour Tours which she was aware of.  Joanne had contacted UTG to try to schedule a tour for her 8^thgraders.  Since UTG didn’t tour 8^th grade students, Joanne took her own 8^th grade class on a downtown field trip that began in Early City and ended at the Multnomah Central Library.  She loved doing it and UTG was a perfect next step.

Joanne loves the history and spending time with the students.  She enjoys the fun, vivacious, interesting, intelligent people she has met through UTG.

The social aspect of UTG and the quality of the speakers at the general meetings has kept her involved and active.  She looks forward to us getting back to touring and being downtown.  

• Kathy Schwartz became a member in 2003.  Her friend Janice Gates told Kathy about this organization that she needed to join when she retired.  She said that Janice was so enthusiastic about the group that she had to get involved.

Kathy said that it was the perfect way to get her “kid fix” and she appreciates the enrichment that the meetings and the tours give to her life.  She loves being involved with the energetic and engaged women and men who want to make a difference and she plans to stay involved as long as she can.

• Judy Cato became a UTG member in 2008.  Her friends, Gail Holcomb, Ruth Bentley and Donna Jordan, invited her and thought it was the perfect spot for her.  Judy shared that she has always loved history and especially got hooked on the rich history of Early City.  She toured buildings that she never thought that she would ever see the inside of.  The members were always so warm and delightful that she was happy to be a member.

Judy said that she loved taking the children on the Early City tour and seeing their eyes grow wide in awe as they saw some of the old buildings of our city.  She said that the kids giggled as she told them how ladies couldn’t go out if it was too rainy because their long skirts would get muddy.  Judy shared that she really enjoyed the job as scheduler that she did for a total of 4 years at two different times.  She said that it was just so fun.  It felt like one big puzzle.  

Students have always been the focus of the Urban Tour Group, although the organization diverted a bit for several years by including tours for adults in addition to student tours.  The adult tours were intended primarily to raise public awareness of UTG while raising needed funds.  However, UTG’s founders saw the greatest need to be Portland area students.  Portland Public Schools were a major investor in UTG’s tours, both in terms of financial support as well as providing tour content and direction.  The tours then focused on a much broader group of students, from third graders to high school seniors.  Today, tours match the third grade course material focusing on the history and early development of Portland offered by most of the school districts in the metropolitan area.  

UTG’s tours are designed to acquaint students with the Portland urban community.  The intent is to foster the concepts of civic pride and service, and to help students see themselves as responsible caretakers of the city.  The tours focus on Portland’s history and landmarks, noting what keeps our city alive and healthy, and how the city changes to meet the needs of its citizens.

One of the things that members have all found rewarding in the service to students are the many student “love letters” that they have received.  These “love letters” or letters of appreciation are warmly received thank you notes that are very much appreciated.  Several have been kept by tour guides and eagerly reread and offered here as a testimony to the value of the tour to a particular student.  In their own way, each letter has inspired UTG’s guides knowing that they have made a positive impression on so very many student for so many years.  They are the best reward that a volunteer guide could ever receive.  The following are a small sample of “love letters” received by members.  Please note spell check worked like crazy with some of these letters, but they have been left as written by each student

• “Dear Bob,  Thank you for teaching me about portland history.  I especially liked the Scidmor founten when the people got sick and had to bring there owne cups.”
• Moksa wrote, “Thank you for teaching us Portland history.  And explaiing how they used to live and taking time from your own life for teaching us kids Portland history.”
• Aiyana wrote, “Thank you for giving me a flash of History in Portland.  I thought that it would be enjoyable…but it was way past enjoyable.”
• Mackenzie said. “Thank you for showing and telling us history of all those amazing places and things!  I really want to show my Mom & Dad all the amazing things I saw!  Thank you so much!”
• “Dear Mr. Erickson, thank you for guiding us around portland.  this was my best field trip ever.  I also liked the “I spy” game, throwing sticks in the river, Chinatown, and those Benson Bubblers.  I reccomend that in the future you should do more field trips like this for other children.”
• Audrey wrote, “Dear Mrs. Herkamp, Thank you for volunteering and telling us about the places I Portland.  My favorite part was when you showed us the Hawthrone Benson Hotel, the time caspule in the City Hall, and the Portland penny.”
• Alondra wrote, “Dear Mrs. Herkamp, Thank you for giving time to our class for our field trip.  I loved seeing the Portland penny instead of just reading about it.”      

Today, UTG offers three tours in downtown Portland, 1.  Life in the City;  2.  Early City ;   3.  Becoming A City.  Each tour has evolved over time with changes in content and name.  Additionally, there is one tour that UTG gave that is no longer offered.  The Waterfront Tour was first presented in 2005 and lasted until 2013.    

Life in the City

The very first tour, developed and presented in 1970 was called the City Environment Tour.  This tour reflected the environmental interest of the Women’s Architectural League and the American Institute of Architects as well as the Portland Public School District.  That tour today is called Life in the City.  The tour focuses on the rich and varied architecture and public art in an urban environment.  This is a lively tour of some of Portland’s most important institutions such as City Hall and the Performing Arts Center.  On this tour students will also be introduced to Portlandia as well as the Park Blocks, the Oregon History Center, and the Mark Hatfield Federal Courthouse.

Early City

UTG’s second tour called The Old Town Walking Tour was first introduced in 1974 in response to a growing interest in historic preservation and the need to provide students with the history of Portland.  This tour is now called Early City and it takes students to Old Town to discover Portland’s history.   While touring, students will visit some of the earliest buildings and public art to grace our city, such as the New Market Theater, other Victorian cast-iron buildings as well as the Skidmore Fountain.   The influence of early Chinese and Japanese immigrants is captured in museums, memorials, the China Gate, Lan Su Gardens, and other sites in Chinatown/Japantown.

Becoming a City

The Mall Tour was first introduce in 1978 and was renamed the Art and Architecture Tour in 1989 and it is currently called Becoming a City.  From the 25^th floor of Big Pink, students see a panorama of Portland with its beautiful river and bridges.  The tour highlights many historic buildings designed by A.E. Doyle and fellow architects of the early 1900’s.  Grand old hotels and banks with elaborate exterior detailing and brass doors fill many blocks.  The second oldest courthouse west of the Mississippi River anchors Pioneer Square while the newest skyscrapers fill the sky on the far side of the Square.  Students will  discover interesting public art and fountains along the transit mall and elsewhere on this tour.  Portland’s history is highlighted along with the innovators who transformed our city from a stump town to a thriving urban community.  

Waterfront 

The tour of the waterfront was designed and implemented to offer a tour for an older group of students, primarily Sixth through Eighth grades.  The tour started at the Chinatown /Old Town MAX station, crossed over the Steel Bridge, down the Vera Katz East bank Esplanade, and ended at the OMSI Overlook.  It featured the Willamette River, its relationship in the development of Portland as a major port city and its impact on the environment.  Further emphasis was placed on the development of the Harbor Wall, the network of Portland’s bridges, the Portland Skyline, Portland’s history, and Public Art.  While reviews were very positive and guides loved giving the tour, it was found to be very difficult for teachers to schedule.  Middle school students needed to be absent from several classes while on the tour.  Because of these issues, the tour was disbanded.

URBAN TOUR GROUP:  HOW IT HAPPENED

            “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the

              World.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

                                                                                     Margaret Mead

In the spring of 1970, a joint project in Environmental Education was undertaken by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Women’s Architectural League (WAL), the women’s auxiliary for the AIA.  The purpose was to encourage the public to really look at the urban environment and to think about the relationship of the man-made environment to the natural and cultural environments and to encourage responsibility toward the urban development.

The members of the Environmental Education Project: 

     Mrs. Jack Eyerly (Polly)                                                 Mr. Richard Norman

     David & Virginia Ferriday*                                          Mr. Alex Pierce

     Mrs. John Hinchliff (Florence)*                                  Mrs. William Proppe (Jody)

     Mrs. Thomas Houha (Rosemary)*                             Mr. & Mrs. Donald Sheets

     Mrs. Lawrence Johnson (Linda)                                 Mrs. C. Wintermute (Marge)*

     Mr. Pat Loukes

*Original UTG Guides

WAL members traditionally organized annual house tours showing off architect designed houses.  Rosemary Houha didn’t feel that the tours were educational for the attendees and that the tours  certainly didn’t increase an appreciation of downtown Portland’s architecture.  She suggested that their efforts should instead be on giving urban walking tours for school children.  A number of WAL members liked the idea and volunteered to be guides.  The initial plan, named Environmental Education, was to offer a combination bus and walking tour for students through a portion of the Portland core area and some outlying districts.  A slide presentation in preparation for the tour would be given in the classroom prior to the experience.  

In the fall of 1970 a group of architects’ wives decided to take an active role in the Environmental Education project by offering a guided walking tour of downtown Portland to school children.  In doing this they hoped to increase awareness, not only of architecture, but also of open spaces, of landscaping, and of all the many city activities.  On October 9, a preview of the “City Environmental Tour” was presented at the Portland Art Museum.  The flyer for the preview stated that the tour would be ”…available to students and teachers in 1971.”  Flyers were sent out to all schools in the district offering tours and inviting the teachers to a sample program on Professional Education Day.  David Ferriday, A.I.A., who along with his wife, Virginia, consulted with Dr. James Fenwick of the Portland Public Schools about the project.  Additionally, another WAL member Marge Wintermute, who was also an AIA member, oversaw a program for the Portland Public Schools which took architectural hands-on activities into Portland classrooms.  She arranged for PPS to cover ongoing expenses for the Environmental Tour.  The district at that time was organizing an environmental education program for their teachers and were very enthusiastic about the project.  About one hundred and fifty teachers took advantage of this sample tour. 

Following the City Environmental sample tour, a training program for the original guides was initiated which included evening sessions at the A.I.A. offices.  The course included presentations by a geologist, a lawyer, an economist, a psychologist, a microbiologist, a city planner and an architect.  Lecture notes from this series, as well as other pertinent notes on buildings, plazas, urban renewal areas, went into a Guide Training Packet.  On-going training sessions continued on a semi-annual basis, drawing in a variety of individuals involved with the urban community.  

The tour group also gained the immediate support of the Portland Art Museum (PAM) and the Oregon Historical Society (OHS).  The Portland Art Museum, which had been operating a docent program for years, helped with the initial organization, provided administrative assistance in the form of scheduling school tours and gave the group access to its duplicating equipment.  Polly Eyerly, Director of Educational Programs for the Museum, served as the “booking agent” for the tours.  She scheduled all the tours and notified the guides of the tours.  The Oregon Historical Society provided meeting space as well as staff assistance.  

In 1972, the small group of initial guides became a separate entity from the W.A.L. and A.I.A. and officially became the Urban Tour Group.  During the fall of 1972 one hundred and ninety-six students from five schools participated in the City Environmental Tour.  In the winter of 1972, a second lecture series for guides was held at the A.I.A. offices.  Regular meetings were started on the first Thursday of the month, and a steering committee was elected.   Based upon student and teacher feedback, it was found that too much architectural information was not overly interesting to school age children, so guides tried to develop more ways in which to interpret the city for children.

                                                                       UTG ORIGINAL GUIDES

      Virginia Ferriday                                   Mary Schiewe                            

      Florence Hinchllff                                 Persis Schmeer

      Rosemary Houha                                  Bette Sinclair

      Joyce Loeb                                             Helen Starr

     Maureen Long                                        Kitty Wheeler

     Bobbie Loukes                                        Helen Williams

     Mary Lou McGoodwin                          Marge Wintermute

     Nancy Rand

In the spring of 1974, a proposal was made to and accepted by the Junior League of Portland to provide funding and placement opportunities to their members.  As a result, the  Urban Tour Group became a project of the Junior League of Portland who provided the needed financial assistance and tour guides to develop our second tour, the Old Town Walking Tour.  UTG’s association with the Junior League lasted for ten years during which time both organizations enjoyed a good working relationship.  In 1984 it was decided that this relationship would come to a close.  UTG was a successful, professional non-profit organization that was enjoying great popularity in the community and it was time for the Junior League of Portland to help another non-profit organization establish itself in the  community.   The association with the Junior League did not completely end there.  Some Junior League members subsequently joined UTG after their required placement commitment was completed.  UTG members later offered mini tours at the Junior League sponsored openings of the New Market Theater and the Yamhill Marketplace. 

The Urban Tour Group is forever indebted to the American Institute of Architects, Women’s Architectural League, Portland Art Museum, Oregon Historical Society, Portland Public Schools, and Junior League of Portland for their inspiring and beneficial support.  

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

UTG initially operated in a highly informal manner, but it found that with increased membership that it needed to adopt an organizational structure and establish a set of by-laws .  In 1975 it applied for and received its certificate of incorporation as an Oregon Non-Profit Organization.  At the same time, UTG developed guidelines for Membership Commitment, Finance, Insurance, Guide Reimbursement, Guide and Tour scheduling, Tour evaluation, Board of Directors Job description, and Guide training.   Over the years these guidelines, policies and procedures have been updated as needed to enable the organization to function efficiently and effectively.  

EARLY FUNDING OF UTG

In the early years of UTG, the funding in support of its tours was much different that today.  Today, the UTG financial support comes primarily from membership dues, funds raised at their Holiday Auction (principally from members), and donations.  The UTG operated from its creation in 1970 until the spring of 1972 with a small grant from the Women’s Architectural League.  

Marge Wintermute a Portland architect and WAL member was instrumental in obtaining funds for UTG.  In 1972, she presented a request to Portland Public Schools for funds to cover postage, printing, honorariums, etc. which they granted.  In 1974 the Portland School District agreed to pay for the layout, design, and printing of an in-school brochure on both the City Environment Tour and the newly created Old Town Walking Tour.  PPS initiated funding support with $600 in 1972 and in the next year the funding was increased to $1,000 annually until the late 1970’s.  In the fall of 1974, the Junior League of Portland became a sponsor for the specific purpose of aiding the UTG in the development of the Old Town Tour.  The League provided UTG with a $2,000 grant to be used during the initial three-year period.  

At the end of the three-year period, UTG submitted a tour enhancement to the Junior League and they agreed to the proposal and provided $2,000 and 8-10 guides for an additional three years.  Funding was also augmented by UTG with the money received from guiding out-of-town schools at $.50 per child and adult tours at $2.00 per person.  Many of UTG’s early support organizations also provided support in kind such as free printing and office space.

UTG increasingly relied financially on providing adult tours.  For example, in 1972, 60 letters were sent to women’s groups offering the walking tour for $1.00 per person.  Later, to increase the number of adult tours, UTG joined the Greater Portland Convention and Visitors Association and the Portland Chamber of Commerce.  These early adult tours included the Women’s Council of Portland Art Museum (group of 40), Women in Construction (group of 100), Temple Beth Israel Sisterhood (group of 45), and the National Education Association Convention (nine guides each for 4 days).  Many of these adult tours were given in afternoons and on Saturdays.  

As funding from early support groups were concluded, UTG looked at additional ways to raise funds.  In 1983 at a general meeting, a motion passed to establish a yearly $10 membership fee.  Also at this time, additional funding sources to help support free student tours were focused on three sources:  1.  Adult tours; 2. UTG’s Holiday Auction;  3. Community support from businesses.  Community support was important because by 1983, it was reported that expenditures exceeded  income.  Today, UTG no longer relies on funding from adult tours or donations from business groups.   

INITIAL TOURS  

Early on, the Urban Tour Group offered two tours.  The first tour offered by UTG was the City Environmental Tour which was a two-hour educational walk through downtown Portland for students in elementary, junior, and senior high schools.  The tour was designed to create an awareness of the urban environment as a sensuous experience.  It was a fun, free way to show students on foot how the urban environment is shaped by ecological, social, and economic forces.  A few days prior the  actual tour, a trained volunteer guide would visit the classroom and preview, in a half-hour presentation, what the students might see and do on the tour.   

The Old Town Walking Tour was introduced in 1974 in response to the growing interest in historic preservation, along with the apparent need to familiarize school children with their local city history.  Expansion and further development of this tour was made possible through the help of the Junior League of Portland.  An extensive training session including an Old Town Walking Tour Guide Training Packet was developed for this tour as well.   Classroom preparation was a part of this tour also.

In 1978, the Mall Tour was introduced to highlight Portland’s unique Transit Mall with its public art and fountains as well as historic buildings reflecting the growth of this financial and business section of downtown.   In 2005 the Waterfront Tour was initiated but after a nine year run, it was cancelled.  Additional information about UTG tours can be found in the chapter, Tours.

UTG TODAY

Over the years UTG has evolved as an organization.  At monthly meetings, members are provided a wealth of interesting speakers including historians, writers, teachers, city planners, government and business leaders, and architects.   For example, members learned of the development of department stores in Portland from Gerry Frank of the Meier and Frank family; the President of Portland State University discussed the growth, development, and impact of that urban institution on the city; and there was a lively discussion of the homeless problem in Portland from the Multnomah County Sheriff.   Meetings are held in a variety of venues offering an opportunity to go behind the facades of Portland’s unique buildings.  A full list of guest speakers and their presentation topics can be found in the chapter, General Meetings

Besides civic and educational opportunities, UTG also provides social activities as well.  Fall, Winter, and Spring social events provide members with a chance to enjoy what Portland as well as the Pacific Northwest have to offer.  For example, Fall, Winter, and Spring excursions have ranged from The Oregon Garden, Timberline Lodge, Fort Vancouver, Astoria, Ashland, Boise and Puget Sound to Portland theater productions.  Members can take the option to enjoy these venues with other UTG members.  What better way to enjoy these events while getting to know your UTG family members.  A list of  travel destinations can be found in the chapter, Fall and Spring Social Events.

As in any organization, members are asked to serve on one of several committees or even on the Board of Directors.  Guest speakers, Fall, Winter and Spring activities, as well as Committee and Board participation have provided a fascinating means of self-enrichment for its members.  Additional information can be found elsewhere in chapters, The Board, What UTG Means to Me, UTG Celebrations.

Portland has many nicknames, but one of the oldest and most famous is the “City of Roses.” Even though roses are not native to Oregon, they became an important symbol of Portland more than a century ago.

The story begins in 1837, when Anna Maria Pittman married Methodist missionary Jason Lee near Champoeg. As a wedding gift, she received a rose bush that was brought to the Pacific Northwest from the eastern United States. The rose grew well in Oregon’s mild climate. Cuttings from the plant were shared and planted in several places, including the Champoeg area and the grounds of Willamette University. This helped start the region’s long tradition of growing roses.

In 1889, Georgiana Pittock, the wife of The Oregonian publisher Henry Pittock, organized a group of friends who loved roses. They formed the Portland Rose Society, which helped make rose growing a popular hobby throughout the city.

Portland’s connection to roses grew even stronger during the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition, the city’s only world’s fair. To make the city look beautiful for visitors, Portland planted about 10,000 rose bushes along its streets. One of the most popular varieties was the Madame Caroline Testout rose, a large pink hybrid tea rose first developed in France in 1890. The colorful displays helped visitors associate Portland with roses.

After the fair, Mayor Harry Lane wanted to keep the excitement going. In 1907, Portland held the first Portland Rose Festival, an annual celebration that continues today. The festival helped strengthen the city’s identity as the “City of Roses.”

Portland’s roses also played an important role during World War I. Many European rose gardens were threatened by the war, so rose growers from England sent plants to Portland to protect them. These roses were planted in what became the International Rose Test Garden, which was dedicated in 1924 in Washington Park. The garden is now one of Portland’s most famous attractions.

Today, roses appear throughout the city—in parks, gardens, and even on street signs. Although roses did not originally grow in Oregon, they became part of Portland’s identity through community pride, gardening traditions, and city celebrations.

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Discussion Questions:

Look for roses around downtown Portland. Can you find rose symbols on signs, buildings, or in parks?

Why did roses grow well in Oregon even though they were not native to the region?

How did the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition help promote roses in Portland?

Why were European roses sent to Portland during World War I?

How does the Portland Rose Festival help celebrate the city’s history today?

Vocabulary:

Climate

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State Education Standards:

Social Studies 3.11. Describe how individuals, groups, events, and developments have shaped the communities and regions. Historical Knowledge

Social Studies 3.12. Compare and contrast the history of the local community to other communities in the region. Historical Knowledge

Social Studies 3.17. Use a variety of historical sources (artifacts, pictures, documents) to identify factual evidence. Historical Thinking

Social Studies 3.19. Analyze how people, other living things, and the environment are affected by events. Social Science Analysis