Pioneer Courthouse Square facts for kids
Pioneer Courthouse Square, also known as Portland's living room, is a popular public space in the center of downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. This large city block, about 40,000 square feet (3,700 m²), opened in 1984. It is a busy spot where people gather for events, relax, and enjoy the city. The square is bordered by Southwest Morrison Street, Southwest 6th Avenue, Southwest Yamhill Street, and Southwest Broadway.
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The Story of Pioneer Courthouse Square
The square is named after the Pioneer Courthouse, an old federal building from 1875. This building is right next to the square.
The land for the square has a long history. In 1856, the city bought the land for Central School. The school moved in 1883 to make way for a big hotel. This hotel, called the Portland Hotel, was finished in 1890. It became a very important social spot in Portland for many years.
In 1951, the Portland Hotel was torn down. A two-story parking lot was built in its place. Today, you can still see an original archway and gate from the hotel on the east side of the square.
In the 1970s, city leaders wanted to turn the parking lot into a public space. Portland's mayor, Neil Goldschmidt, worked to buy the land for the city. In 1980, a design contest was held to create the new public square. Many ideas were submitted, and a team from Portland led by Willard Martin won. They even painted their design right onto the parking lot!
However, getting money for the project was hard. Some people worried that an open public square might attract homeless people. Former Governor Tom McCall spoke out, saying it would be wrong if a few powerful people stopped the project.
The square cost $3 million for the land and $4.3 million for building it. To help raise money, a group called "Friends of Pioneer Square" was formed. They sold 50,000 special bricks, each with a donor's name on it. This helped raise $750,000 and saved the project.
Pioneer Courthouse Square officially opened on April 6, 1984. More than 10,000 people came to the celebration. The city of Portland owns the square, and it is a city park.
The square's fountain needed repairs by 1988. It was fixed in 1995, and its purple tiles were changed to granite. The fountain was updated again in 2006.
In 1989, a Starbucks coffee shop opened at the square. This was the first Starbucks in Oregon and the company's 40th store ever. It is still there today.
In 2001, a tall building called Fox Tower was finished next to the square. Some people were concerned because it blocks sunlight from reaching much of the square in the afternoon.
In 2002, there were plans to add a large ice skating rink to the square for part of the year. Some people thought this would make the square more active in winter. However, many people did not like the idea because they would have to pay to skate. They felt this went against the idea of the square being a free public space.
On November 26, 2010, there was a security incident at the square during a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. A person was arrested after trying to set off what they thought was a car bomb. It turned out the bomb was not real and was part of an FBI investigation.
What You'll Find at the Square
The square has MAX Light Rail stops on its north and south sides. On the north side, you'll see tall, artistic columns that look like ancient ruins. Some of these "fallen" columns have outdoor chess tables, where people often play during the day.
On the west side, there's a beautiful waterfall fountain. This fountain marks the entrance to a public information center and a TriMet ticket office. The middle of the square is shaped like an amphitheater, with many steps that act as seats. People sit here to watch musical performances and other events. Since 2007, Pioneer Courthouse Square has been a non-smoking area.
The ground of the square is covered with special bricks. These bricks were sold to help pay for the square's construction. Each brick has the name of a person who donated money. Because the bricks are not in any special order, people often walk around looking down to find a specific name. This sometimes causes people to bump into each other, which led to the square's funny nickname, "Bang Heads Park."
On the east side of the square, you can see a cool wrought-iron gateway. It was built in the 1970s by Eric Ladd using old metal from the Portland Hotel.
For nearly 20 years, a branch of Powell's Books was located at the south end of the square. It was called Powell's Travel Store and sold books and items related to travel. The store closed in 2005. Later, in 2008, KGW-TV, a local TV station, started using the space.
In March 2009, KGW opened a modern news studio at the square. They use this studio to broadcast their morning and evening news shows. The studio is about 2,000 square feet (186 m²) and is mostly underground, with a small window area.
The city spends about $1.2 million each year to keep the square safe, clean, and ready for events.
Art at the Square
One famous piece of art in Portland is Allow Me, often called Umbrella Man. This bronze statue of a man holding an umbrella is on the south side of the square, above the seating area.
Another cool art piece is the Weather Machine. It's a 33-foot (10 m) tall metal column with a large silver ball on top. Every day at noon, the machine announces the next day's weather with music and lights. The silver ball opens up to show one of three things:
- A golden leaf sun, for a clear day.
- A silver great blue heron, for a drizzly or cloudy day.
- An open-mouthed copper dragon, when storms are expected.
Lights on the side of the machine light up like a thermometer to show the temperature.
Fun Events at the Square
Many events happen at Pioneer Courthouse Square every year. There are free shows in the spring and summer, often sponsored by local businesses. Most events are open to people of all ages. In 2006, the square even hosted an all-city pillow fight and a slumber party!
The square is also a place for speeches, political gatherings, and rallies. Around Thanksgiving, a very tall Christmas tree is set up in the center of the square. There's a special tree-lighting ceremony every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Another fun Christmas event is Tuba Christmas, where hundreds of tuba and euphonium players perform holiday songs. This event started in 1991. The square also hosts an annual New Year's Eve celebration.
On January 12, 1991, one of the biggest gatherings in the square's history took place. More than 12,000 people came for an anti-war rally during the Gulf War. The crowd filled the square and spilled onto the nearby streets.
