Getting to Know Portland

One of the main units of study is learning about our city.  In the fall, we focus on the history of our city and how it came to be.  The kids have been studying the history, but we took a walking field trip to see the past of Portland up close!!!!  It was great.

We started our trip at the Skidmore Fountain.  We met our Urban Tour Guides there.  We walked around in smaller groups.

This part of Portland is Old Town.  We were right where the city was first founded.  In fact, those bricks we are standing on, they are ballast blocks that came of ships.  They were used to pave the muddy streets.  These bricks come from all over, but not Portland!

Everywhere we went on our trip, we had a great view of Big Pink!

This is the top of the New Market Theater.   The chimneys were used to heat the individual market stalls.

The "White Stag" sign.  Portland landmark.

Visiting the Japanese Memorial Garden on the waterfront.  We discussed Oregon's difficult past and the internment camps during World War II.

We had lunch at Saturday Market.  It was a lovely day to see the city and enjoy our walk.

Some parents who work downtown came and joined us for lunch.