As a part of UTG’s 50th 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 3rd 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 8thgraders. Since UTG didn’t tour 8th grade students, Joanne took her own 8th 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.