Council Crest Park
Encyclopedia
Council Crest Park is a city park in southwest Portland
in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. Amenities include paved and unpaved paths, a dog off-leash area
, picnic tables, public art, a vista point, and a wedding site that can be reserved. The 43.51 acres (17.6 ha) park, operated by Portland Parks & Recreation
, is open year-round from 5 a.m. to midnight. It was the site of an amusement park
from 1907 until 1929.
, Council Crest is the highest point in the Tualatin Mountains
(West Hills) that run parallel to the Willamette River
in Portland. The hill was part of a donation land claim
by John B. Talbot and was first known as Talbot Mountain. Later, the hill became known as Glass Hill and then Fairmount, the name of a road that encircles it. In 1898, delegates to the Triennial National Council of Congregational Churches met on the hill and decided to name it Council Crest. A later assertion that Native American
s held councils on the summit remains unsupported by evidence.
Streetcar
service to the site began on September 20, 1906, when the Portland Railway, Light and Power Company
(PRL&P) opened a newly constructed streetcar loop that extended the "Portland Heights" line (later renamed the "Council Crest" line) to the summit of the hill. Soon after, in 1907, an amusement park
built by PRL&P was opened, and it featured a merry-go-round
, miniature railway, Ferris wheel
and other entertainments, served exclusively by the streetcar line. Named Council Crest Amusement Park, it closed in 1929, and the city acquired the property in 1937. The amusement park's wooden observation tower was torn down in 1941 and replaced by a steel water-storage tower. Streetcar service ended on August 9, 1949, with the abandonment of the uppermost section of the Council Crest streetcar line, the service being cut back to the intersection of Vista Avenue and Patton Road. Removal of the rails along the line's private right-of-way began the next day, and a road was then built along the former rail-only right-of-way. The line had been one of the most famous and scenic trolley lines in North America. (The remainder of the Council Crest line was abandoned six months later, on February 26, 1950, with the closure of the city's last three urban streetcar lines.). Today, the Council Crest neighborhood is served by TriMet
Line 51, but the bus service does not reach Council Crest Park.
One of the streetcars which had served the line, car 506, was on static display at Council Crest Park for nearly 20 years, until 1972, when it was removed after being damaged by vandals. It was later acquired by the Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society
and is preserved at that group's museum. The former streetcar line is also memorialized by the replica-vintage streetcars which have provided the Portland Vintage Trolley
heritage
service since 1991. The ends of these cars display the same slogan as was displayed by the streetcars serving the Council Crest line: See Portland from Council Crest.
Although the observation tower erected in 1907 was dismantled in 1941, the city later built an observation area in the park from which it is possible to see Mount Rainier
, Mount St. Helens
, Mount Adams
, Mount Hood
, and Mount Jefferson
in the Cascade Range
.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. Amenities include paved and unpaved paths, a dog off-leash area
Dog park
A dog park is a facility set aside for dogs to exercise and play off-leash in a controlled environment under the supervision of their owners...
, picnic tables, public art, a vista point, and a wedding site that can be reserved. The 43.51 acres (17.6 ha) park, operated by Portland Parks & Recreation
Portland Parks & Recreation
Portland Parks & Recreation is the bureau of the City of Portland which protects the parks, natural areas, recreational facilities, gardens, and trails of the city of Portland, Oregon....
, is open year-round from 5 a.m. to midnight. It was the site of an amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
from 1907 until 1929.
Description and history
At 1071 feet (326.4 m) above sea levelSea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, Council Crest is the highest point in the Tualatin Mountains
Tualatin Mountains
The Tualatin Mountains are a range of hills on the western border of Multnomah County, Oregon, United States...
(West Hills) that run parallel to the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
in Portland. The hill was part of a donation land claim
Donation Land Claim Act
The Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 was a statute enacted by the United States Congress intended to promote homestead settlement in the Oregon Territory in the Pacific Northwest...
by John B. Talbot and was first known as Talbot Mountain. Later, the hill became known as Glass Hill and then Fairmount, the name of a road that encircles it. In 1898, delegates to the Triennial National Council of Congregational Churches met on the hill and decided to name it Council Crest. A later assertion that Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
s held councils on the summit remains unsupported by evidence.
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
service to the site began on September 20, 1906, when the Portland Railway, Light and Power Company
Portland Railway, Light and Power Company
The Portland Railway, Light and Power Company was a railway company and electric power utility in Portland, Oregon, United States, from 1906 until 1924....
(PRL&P) opened a newly constructed streetcar loop that extended the "Portland Heights" line (later renamed the "Council Crest" line) to the summit of the hill. Soon after, in 1907, an amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
built by PRL&P was opened, and it featured a merry-go-round
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
, miniature railway, Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
and other entertainments, served exclusively by the streetcar line. Named Council Crest Amusement Park, it closed in 1929, and the city acquired the property in 1937. The amusement park's wooden observation tower was torn down in 1941 and replaced by a steel water-storage tower. Streetcar service ended on August 9, 1949, with the abandonment of the uppermost section of the Council Crest streetcar line, the service being cut back to the intersection of Vista Avenue and Patton Road. Removal of the rails along the line's private right-of-way began the next day, and a road was then built along the former rail-only right-of-way. The line had been one of the most famous and scenic trolley lines in North America. (The remainder of the Council Crest line was abandoned six months later, on February 26, 1950, with the closure of the city's last three urban streetcar lines.). Today, the Council Crest neighborhood is served by TriMet
TriMet
TriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon...
Line 51, but the bus service does not reach Council Crest Park.
One of the streetcars which had served the line, car 506, was on static display at Council Crest Park for nearly 20 years, until 1972, when it was removed after being damaged by vandals. It was later acquired by the Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society
Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society
The Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society operates a railroad museum and a heritage railroad for electric streetcar and railway enthusiasts.-History:...
and is preserved at that group's museum. The former streetcar line is also memorialized by the replica-vintage streetcars which have provided the Portland Vintage Trolley
Portland Vintage Trolley
The Portland Vintage Trolley is a heritage streetcar service in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Service is provided with replicas of a type of Brill streetcar, nicknamed the "Council Crest" cars, which last served Portland in 1950. The Vintage Trolley is managed by Vintage Trolley Inc.,...
heritage
Heritage streetcar
Heritage streetcars or heritage trams are a development of the heritage railways that are becoming popular across the world. As with modern streetcar systems, the vehicles are referred to as trams or tramcars in the United Kingdom, Australasia and certain other places , but as streetcars or...
service since 1991. The ends of these cars display the same slogan as was displayed by the streetcars serving the Council Crest line: See Portland from Council Crest.
Although the observation tower erected in 1907 was dismantled in 1941, the city later built an observation area in the park from which it is possible to see Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...
, Mount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is south of Seattle, Washington and northeast of Portland, Oregon. Mount St. Helens takes its English name from the British diplomat Lord St Helens, a...
, Mount Adams
Mount Adams (Washington)
Mount Adams is a potentially activestratovolcano in the Cascade Range and the second-highest mountain in the U.S. state of Washington.Adams is a member of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, and is one of the arc's largest volcanoes,...
, Mount Hood
Mount Hood
Mount Hood, called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe, is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon. It was formed by a subduction zone and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States...
, and Mount Jefferson
Mount Jefferson (Oregon)
Mount Jefferson is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc, part of the Cascade Range, and is the second highest mountain in Oregon. Situated in the far northeastern corner of Linn County on the Jefferson County line, about east of Corvallis, Mount Jefferson is in a rugged wilderness and is...
in the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
.
External links
- Council Crest at PdxHistory.com – History of former amusement park, illustrated by vintage postcards