Comments for LOST OREGON

Comment on Oak Grove: Evolution of a small Oregon town by Tom Rutter

Tom Rutter — Mon, 07 May 2012 19:18:00 +0000

Loved your story Dale. I remember you of course from Photography Staff (where I thought you were really one of the best) at Putnam, and your wife Dolly who was in my class at Concord in 6th and 7th Grade.

Comment on The Barbary Coast at the Hoyt Hotel by Chris Tyle

Chris Tyle — Mon, 07 May 2012 07:41:18 +0000

My father played drums in the band in the Roaring Twenties room. I’m pretty sure it was Monte Ballou’s Castle Jazz Band. I saw Duke Ellington’s Orchestra there in the early 1970s. I was told they wouldn’t allow minors in for the concert, so I wrote a letter to Harvey Dick asking if there was some way some of my friends from the high school band could see the concert. They rigged up some seating in the restaurant so we could see the concert. It was a nice gesture – something they didn’t have to do.

I have some paper drink coasters and some ash trays from the Barbary Coast room and the Roaring Twenties. I also have a brochure from the Roaring Twenties. I remember when I was a kid (when my dad played there) we used to have some of the swizzle sticks but sadly they are long gone.

It’s a real shame what happened to the Hoyt Hotel.

Comment on Portland’s restaurant heritage by cmalbrecht

cmalbrecht — Sun, 06 May 2012 15:33:03 +0000

I cooked at Mr. C’s in the ’60s. He was a tough taskmaster, but I enjoyed working there and I liked to go to Manning’s occasionally for a bite and a “hottle” of coffee. The Pancake House as well. Everything changes. The Portland of my callow youth is gone. The big market downtown with peanut butter in barrels, “slunk veal” from WWII, the giant old streetcars and trying to bicycle around over wet tracks and streets. The Journal used to offer premiums for taking subscriptions. I got to ride in an “giant” DC3 and another time we went to Timberline for a day of skiing. They offered free classes for future cartoonists as well. Can you believe Swan Island was once our in-town airport?

Comment on Oregon Centennial Expo, 1959 by Robyn Norwood

Robyn Norwood — Sat, 05 May 2012 01:21:10 +0000

There was quite a bit of drama and mystery surrounding the huge mural that created the dramatic entry into the Centennial. I was always told that my father, Rick Norwood, created it but could never find much about his participation in it. The work itself resembles his style of painting quite a bit, and I found a picture of him online, actually working on it. His enamel mural that surrounded the exterior of the Lloyd Center Sheraton Hotel in Portland shows that style as well. It’s a pity that there isn’t more written about it’s creation because it represented the biggest mural ever created at the time. The other interesting thing about it was that many of those who were supposed to have jurisdiction over the spending of allotted funds for the project objected to the abstract theme. In fact it almost seems as if many of them were shocked by it’s very presence on opening day, as if they didn’t even know it was going to be there! Even Louis Bunce, who it seems received the money to create it, was quoted in the only newspaper article that I could find about it, as saying that he had no idea what the mural depicted! There was a fantastic creative vortex emanating from the Portland Art Museum at that time that really changed Portland into the creative, artsy city that it has been ever since. That the Centennial ended up heralding in that movement whether it meant to or not is a fantastic story that definitely deserves to be told! I’d love to hear from anyone that might know more of it.

Comment on Portland’s restaurant heritage by Carol

Carol — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:15:00 +0000

At Lloyd Center it was Mr. C’s Hippopotamus, and there was Manning’s Cafeteria (with a sit-down area next to the skating rink), The Aladdin (above the rink), the Pancake Corner, Goldbergs, and Woolworth’s and Newberry’s counters.

Comment on The Palais Royale Ballroom: Where They Danced for Joy by Marti

Marti — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 23:44:32 +0000

Hey!
I have just been introduced to the Palais Royale Ballroom through archival work. I had a few questions regarding the ballroom circa 1960s, and have a few posters for reference. I know you did an Oral History Project on this and would love to hear more about that as well.

One question I can post on here: I saw the link to the Ray Charles riot, and after researching a bit, found this website: http://globalimageworks.com/clip-riot-outside-ray-charles-concert-stock-footage-2072_027?id=45723&search_string=rioting&sort=asc&startrow=0&search_type=all

Do you think this video is labeled wrong? Or do you think Ray Charles started TWO riots in TWO towns at TWO different Palais Royale Ballrooms!!! Made me wonder….

Anyway if you have the time, I would really like to hear more about this historic place.

Marti

Comment on Portland’s restaurant heritage by Ian N.

Ian N. — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:12:17 +0000

I am very excited to be able to read this thread. My Grandfather was the great and late Larry Hilaire, I am the Son of Larry’s Daughter Karen (Hilaire) Nickolas. One of the things that saddened me very much was that my Grandfather (Papa) as I knew him was involved in declining to serve a black person. He in fact had a sign in the window that they only served white industry which thankfully changed in time. It’s a sad and unfortunate fact of the times. I would how ever like to speak of is his impact in the restaurant industry not only in the Portland area but on the National level. Larry to date I believe is the only President of the National Restaurant Assoc to hail from the great state of Oregon. There is a great headline from the Oregonian that read “President Hilaire to meet President Eisenhower”.
No matter what level of stature he had he always was mindful of his local arena and was respected for that and away from the restaurants he was an award winning green thumb rosarian and president of the portland rose society in 1954. One of the things mentioned above was a meeting that was held between my Papa and the Col Sanders, there was intact a meeting of powerhouses per say as at that time my Papa was a force to be reckoned with as Col Sanders sought him out. Col Sanders approached my Papa to indeed have a stake in the Fried Chicken Biz. The meeting happened at my Papa and Nana’s home in SE PDX where my Papa argued that “People eat fried chicken on sunday” well we all know what came of KFC and the Col. lol

I would love to hear from more people about Larry.

Comment on Portland’s restaurant heritage by rrochat

rrochat — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:21:23 +0000

i’m on a roll now, does anyone remember the HUGE menu at Henry Thelle’s? And nearby the wonderful Uptown Broiler? You could eat at either place then go to the Uptown Baskin Robbins for a scoop? Goldberg’s, and of course the Pancake Corner both at Loyd center. The Canlis at the top of the HIlton Hotel? I can’t believe no one has mentioned the Carousel restaurant at the foot of Pill Hill. I like that some people liked Jazz D’Opus (with all its low down seating) but I always loved going to the later addition Opus Too for incredible steak.There was a really tiny and wonderful restaurant off of McLaughlin blvd out past Milwaukie in the basement of a house, call Four Season’s. it really was the forerunner of fresh local gourmet menus in the Portland area.
Gosh…
I have felt we lack places that are enjoyable to go to, everything now is mostly corporate and trendy not necessarily good; sort of “oh this week we all have to make our food tall, or oh we have to put peppers in everything” unfortunately as consumers we are looking for everyone to do the same thing as well.

Comment on Portland’s restaurant heritage by rrochat

rrochat — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:03:03 +0000

I forgot to add Henry Ford’s out off Barbur blvd with its flocked wall paper. L’Auberge was first on Burnside then relocated to Vaughn, they had the very best poached lemon cheesecake.

Comment on Portland’s restaurant heritage by rrochat

rrochat — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 23:57:53 +0000

the train car on the East side wasn’t Victoria Station that was on Macadam. It was a silver dome car called Silver arrow or Silver something. Lloyd center had the Hungry Hippopotamus, and a really great restaurant called The Aladdin above the Ice rink. My mom would take me there for lunch when she shopped M+F’s Friday Surprise sales. If we went to the downtown store it was The Georgian room for Portland’s best French Onion soup. No memory’s of Portland would be complete without The Pantry on Broadway, Bart’s Wharf on the Columbia, The Anchorage in Sellwood with its all you can eat Friday night seafood buffet, later called Salty s.
My eighth grade graduation dinner was at the Top of the Cosmo, it was the first time my dad let me have frogs legs. Wilf’s at the train station was always a great place and of course the Barbary Coast restaurant at the Hoyt Hotel, does anyone remember Gracie Hansen and the men’s bathroom tours so people could see the huge seashell urinals?
another great place is Tad’s Chicken & Dumpling out on the Sandy river, its still a great place.