News Release from: Portland Parks & Recreation
PORTLAND PARKS & RECREATION TO CELEBRATE 100 YEARS OF TERWILLIGER PARKWAY, 1912-2012
Posted: July 12th, 2012 12:21 PM
Photo/sound file: http://www.flashalertnewswire.net/images/news/2012-07/1399/56011/Terwilliger_Parkway_under_construction_1911.jpg (Terwilliger Pkwy under construction, 1911. Courtesy: Portland Parks & Recreation, Portland, OR)
Photo/sound file: http://www.flashalertnewswire.net/images/news/2012-07/1399/56011/Terwilliger_Blvd_Pkwy_walking_women.jpg (Terwilliger Pkwy today. Courtesy: Portland Parks & Recreation, Portland, OR)
Event on July 21 & 22 Honors a Century of Park History
(Portland, OR) -
Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R), the Friends of Terwilliger, Oregon Health Science University, ODS, Terwilliger Plaza, and other generous sponsors will honor the uniqueness of Terwillger Parkway during its centennial celebration on July 21 and 22.
Enjoy food, music, and history along PP&R's meandering, forested park - cherished by strollers, cyclists, runners, and families for its stunning mountain and city views.
WHAT: The Terwilliger Parkway Centennial Celebration: 100 Years of Nature and History - a concert, fun family activities, a dedication ceremony, and more!
WHERE: Terwilliger Parkway (closed to vehicles for portions of the event)
WHEN: Celebration events begin Friday, July 20, 10:00 am at Duniway Park for a Sign Dedication and continue through Sunday, July 22 with a run/walk and Sunday Parkways. Event schedule: http://terwilligerfriends.org/centennial-events/
Here's just a taste of what you can look forward to:
ï,§ An outdoor music concert
ï,§ Rededication and ribbon-cutting ceremonies
ï,§ Community run/walk
ï,§ Historical oratory
ï,§ Guided hikes
ï,§ Unveiling of new interpretive signage and gateway project
ï,§ Portland's first Sunday Parkways in southwest Portland
ï,§ Vendors and food
ï,§ Beer/wine garden
ï,§ Kids' activities
ï,§ Free ice cream from Umpqua Bank
FREE EVENTS INCLUDE
Saturday, July 21
9am Volunteer work party (to remove invasive ivy)
9:30am and noon: Free guided hikes
6pm: Free concert in Duniway Park featuring TrashCan Joe
Sunday, July 22
11am-4pm: The first Sunday Parkways in SW Portland will go through the Parkway!
FUNDRAISER RUN & WALK
Sunday, July 22
8:30am: 8K & 5K Run/Walk and 1K Little Tree Kids' Run
Register in advance at energyevents.com
Parking information and event map: http://terwilligerfriends.org/event-map/
Background
The Terwilliger Parkway Centennial Celebration: 100 Years of Nature and History is brought to you by Portland Parks & Recreation, OHSU, ODS, Terwilliger Plaza, EMI, Widmer Brothers Brewery, Umpqua Bank, Fred Meyer, Foot Traffic, Energy Events (official race sponsor) and Friends of Terwilliger. The members of Friends of Terwilliger are known for their passion, dedication, and stewardship of the park.
Terwilliger Parkway, Portland's distinctive and beloved urban linear park, turns 100 years old this year.
The centrally located urban parkway has a proud history, beautiful scenery, and lush, shady forests. It was part of landscape architect John C. Olmsted's original vision for the city of Portland in 1912, and is one of the earliest examples of a successful public-private partnership in Portland.
Runners, walkers, cyclists, and drivers frequent the park's challenging hills, and laud its separated path and street systems for safety and beauty.
As part of the Terwilliger Parkway Centennial Celebration: 100 Years of Nature and History, PP&R and Friends of Terwilliger will have a Centennial Cake cutting and unveiling of the Terwilliger Parkway gateway sign in upper Duniway Park on Friday, July 20 at 10:00am. A concert, family activities, a dedication ceremony, and more take place on Saturday, July 21. A road race and Sunday Parkways will follow on Sunday, July 22.
Colorful historical stories and photos will abound, along with Abigail Duniway impersonators. Abigail Scott Duniway (1836-1915) was a writer, newspaper publisher, and advocate for women's right to vote. In 1912, Duniway became the first legal female voter in Multnomah County. In 1918, Duniway Park was named in her honor.
Friends of Terwilliger
Friends of Terwilliger (FOT) started informally about 30 years ago to oppose a proposed apartment complex adjacent to the parkway. In time it became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a mission to protect the natural character and scenic beauty of the Terwilliger Parkway corridor. FOT has been instrumental in getting over 190 acres along the parkway preserved as open space. Within the last 10 years, FOT has focused more on habitat and watershed restoration along the parkway. They have been active in the West Willamette Restoration Partnership and have removed countless acres of ivy.
More info: http://terwilligerfriends.org/ or info@terwilligerfriends.org
Historical Information
The construction of Terwilliger Boulevard was first mentioned in landscape architect John C. Olmsted's 1903 report to the Portland Park Board. Olmsted envisioned a comprehensive system of parks and parkways for all of Portland - with Terwilliger Blvd, or South Hillside Parkway as he called it, becoming the principal pleasure drive leading south from the city. John and his stepbrother, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., felt that boulevards and parkways were important additions to cities and added a feeling of civility to movement in an urban area. Of the four proposed parkway systems, Terwilliger is the only one completed for public use and utilized as envisioned by its planners.
A 1.93-acre parcel, located in the heart of Terwilliger Parkway, was owned by Charles and Thelma Norris. A longtime Portland resident and school teacher, Mrs. Norris was a charter member of the American Rhododendron Society. She and her husband planted dozens of rhododendrons on the property. When she died in 1992, she bequeathed the property to Portland Parks & Recreation.
PP&R Terwilliger Parkway Website:
http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewPark&PropertyID=793&searchtext=terwilliger
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