Americas Hub World Tours

Portland Building & Portlandia

 

q  Portland Building. 1980. Michael Graves (Teapots at Target;)

q  Love/Hate relationship with Portlanders, many think it is ugly; some appreciate it as an architectural landmark.

q  One of the first icons of Post-Modern architecture

q  Portion inside resembles Grand Central Station, on the top is a modern replica of the Greek Parthenon (which you will have a better view of as you head down 4^th)

q  Portlandia, 35ft copper hammered statue, second largest (Statue of Liberty is #1)

q  Sculpted by Raymond Kaskey, image used from the City of Portland’s city seal.

q  Designed as welcoming figure, Kaskey has exclusive intellectual copyrights and may not be reproduced on any type of media. He has also refused suggestions to move the statue to a more prominent location.

q  Base of the Wells Fargo financial center. One of the two largest “skyscrapers” in Portland at a staggering 35 stories.

q  Judicial Area: City Hall, Portland Building (municipal offices), County Courthouses, Federal Building, Federal Court houses.

q  Plaza Bocks (park blocks) have a history of orators and citizens assemblies. Still true today.

q  Elk Bronze Statue (1900) in respect to the elk that used to graze the area.

q  Pioneer Mall. Two sections. Oregon is one of those rare states that has no sales tax (except on hotels and car rentals). We do make up for it by having a fairly high income tax (9%). However, when you weigh the overall tax burden of Oregon, we usually come out about average of all the 50 states.

q  Paddy’s Bar and Grill. Largest liquor wall this side of the Mississippi (or so they claim)

q  Governer Tom McCall Waterfront park. If the square is our living room, this is like our backyard.

q  At Taylor intersection slow down and point out small green shrub in median/island. This is Mills End Park. Smallest park in the world. Dedicated in 1946 by Dick Fagan who tended to the small plot of dirt and wrote about it in his Oregon Journal Column.

q  Waterfront Park: 30 acres, acquired in 1927, home to several events throughout the year: Cinco de Mayo, 2 week Rose Festival in June, 4^th of July Blues Festival, Brewers fest, Taste of Oregon and much more.

 

q  Portland is a city of bridges. 10 bridges over Willamette (From the north: St. Johns, Fremont, Broadway, Steel, Burnside, Morrison, Hawthorne, Marquam, Ross Island and Sellwood) 2 over Columbia (Interstate 205 and Glenn Jackson (I-5))

q  Original Morrison bridge was the first (1887) present design is from 1958

q  Hawthorne Bridge is the oldest vertical lift bridge in the U.S. and is the busiest transit bridge in Oregon with 4,800 cyclists and 750 buses daily.

q  “The Hunted” with Tommy Lee Jones and Del Torro was filmed on the Hawthorne

q  Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

q  In the tradition of the Deutches Museum in Munich and the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, this two-story museum contains hands-on exhibits in topics ranging from natural sciences to brainteasers, human development and lifestyle issues, technology and more. IMAX theater, science camps. Great place for people of all ages.

 

OMSI:  Reminder  to be very cautious on the esplanade as it is a type of “bike highway”. Just as on any highway, slower traffic should stay to the far right. Gather everyone at the first look-out/viewing platform.

 

q  Point out OHSU, Oregon Health Science University, “Pill Hill”

q  The campus consists of three hospitals (Level I trauma center and general hospital, Doernbechers Children’s hospital and the Veterans Medical Center ) and a university for dentistry, medical and nursing programs.

q  Point out the Tram (“pill” to “pill hill”), which connects the main campus to the new expansion on South Waterfront.

q  OHSU is one of the top Portland employer with 12,000+ (other top employers include: Intel, Providence Health Systems, Safeway, Fred Meyer, Kaiser Health Foundation, Legacy Health Systems and State of Oregon.)

q  More Info…….

q  Portland Bridge Pedal: Portland is known as the City of Bridges, and it could just as easily be known as the City of Bicyclists. The Portland Bridge Pedal is what happens when you put those two things together. Or, as it’s officially known due to sponsorship, the Providence Bridge Pedal.

Once every year, all 10 of Portland’s bridges are covered with cyclists. It’s sort of like Critical Mass, only the Portland Bridge Pedal is sanctioned (and even charges an entry fee!). The event usually happens mid-August. Participants can choose to ride all 10 bridges (36-mile route), eight bridges (24-mile route) or six bridges (14-mile route). Included in the itinerary are routes across the top decks of the the Marquam and Fremont bridges

q  Portland Park Blocks. 17 city blocks of park running north-south through the city. Only 6 developed blocks in between. Park Blocks were part of the original 1852 grid plan for the city. 1877 first landscaping. Idea was to create a “cathedral of trees with simple grass below”. Each block has artwork. Predominant tree is American Elm. Others include maple, lindens, oaks and sycamores. In 2004 PSU students conducted a survey to identify and determine benefit of park trees, including their estimated value ($3.5 million)

q  Farmers Market, South Park Blocks

q  Oregon Historical Society: Preserving, collecting, and publishing Oregon’s multicultural history through museum exhibitions, research collections, and publications. $10 entry

q  Art Museum: Built in 1933 this is the oldest art museum in the Pacific Northwest houses a permanent collections of European and American art as well as a fine collection of English silver.

q  Churches: Ornate homes and stately buildings have come and gone, but the old churches of downtown Portland seem to be eternal. Built with massive basalt stone, brick or wood, some have served their congregations for more than a century. Their steeples long a familiar part of the skyline, the historic churches are an important part of the city’s cultural life. “The Old Church” (1883) now a non-congregation community building.

What’s new at Hub World Travel!

Explore the Columbia River Gorge, an geologic wonder that forms the border between northern Oregon and southern Washington. Let us guide you with a fun and educational tour of basalt cliffs, year round waterfalls, the charming Historic Highway and epic views.

Stand at the base of Multnomah Falls, the second highest year-round waterfall in the United States and one of the top attractions in Oregon. Feel the spray of Horsetail and Latourell Falls and be dazzled by all the mosses, lichens and ferns.

The tour begins with a short, 20-minute drive along I-84 east where the guides share information about Portland, historic geologic wonders and the surrounding area. Tour the Crown Point Vista House, a unique visitor’s facility built in 1916 that towers 733 feet above the Columbia River and offers phenomenal views and photo opportunities of the beauty below.

Continue along the Historic Highway where guests will have opportunities to get out of the van and view Latourell, Wahkeena, and Horsetail Falls. There will also be a half hour stop at Multnomah Falls to view the 620 ft wonder as well as visit the gift shop and visitor’s center in the historic lodge.

Then it’s back on I-84 east to catch a glimpse of Bonneville Dam before we pass through Cascade Locks and over the Bridge of the Gods. Take one last look at the beauty which is the Columbia Gorge before heading up to Skamania Lodge.

Tour Highlights May Include: Crown Point Vista House, Women Forum viewpoint, Latourell Falls, Sheppards Dell, Wahkeens Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Multnomah Falls and Lodge, Horsetail Falls, Bonneville Dam, Bridge of the Gods. Learn more

What’s new at Hub World Travel!

Explore the Columbia River Gorge, an geologic wonder that forms the border between northern Oregon and southern Washington. Let us guide you with a fun and educational tour of basalt cliffs, year round waterfalls, the charming Historic Highway and epic views.

Stand at the base of Multnomah Falls, the second highest year-round waterfall in the United States and one of the top attractions in Oregon. Feel the spray of Horsetail and Latourell Falls and be dazzled by all the mosses, lichens and ferns.

The tour begins with a short, 20-minute drive along I-84 east where the guides share information about Portland, historic geologic wonders and the surrounding area. Tour the Crown Point Vista House, a unique visitor’s facility built in 1916 that towers 733 feet above the Columbia River and offers phenomenal views and photo opportunities of the beauty below.

Continue along the Historic Highway where guests will have opportunities to get out of the van and view Latourell, Wahkeena, and Horsetail Falls. There will also be a half hour stop at Multnomah Falls to view the 620 ft wonder as well as visit the gift shop and visitor’s center in the historic lodge.

Then it’s back on I-84 east to catch a glimpse of Bonneville Dam before we pass through Cascade Locks and over the Bridge of the Gods. Take one last look at the beauty which is the Columbia Gorge before heading up to Skamania Lodge.

Tour Highlights May Include: Crown Point Vista House, Women Forum viewpoint, Latourell Falls, Sheppards Dell, Wahkeens Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Multnomah Falls and Lodge, Horsetail Falls, Bonneville Dam, Bridge of the Gods. Learn more

The Columbia River Scenic Highway was the first modern highway constructed in the Pacific Northwest and the first scenic highway in the United State

 to gain the distinction of National Historic Landmark. The construction of this highway was considered one of the greatest engineering feats of the modern age. Its engineer was Samuel C. Lancaster and the man who was behind the scenes was Samuel Hill, lawyer, entrepreneur, and good roads’ promoter. 

The Historic Columbia River Highway was America’s first scenic highway and Oregon’s first paved road.  Construction of the highway began in 1913. The lower section was dedicated on June 7, 1916, and the upper sections of the highway were finished on June 27, 1922.

The Historic Columbia River Highway project focused on features such as masonry, guard walls, dry masonry retaining walls, guard rocks, bridges, viaducts and tunnels.

Let me share just a few of the waterfalls you will see along the way:

 

Horsetail Falls: The 178 foot- high, 25 feet wide Horsetail Falls plunges down a cliff on the northwest side of Larch Mountain in the shape of a giant, white horsetail.  Water flows over the falls throughout the entire year. Horsetail Falls can be viewed from Historic Columbia River highway but a short half-mile trail takes you to the top of the falls and, surprise another waterfall, Ponytail tail falls (also called Upper Horsetail Falls) and the trail takes you behind the falls, which is now closed to the public due to rock slides and debris.

 

Multnomah Falls: The second highest year-round waterfalls in the United States.  Nearly two million people a year come to see this ancient waterfall.  Fed by underground springs from Larch Mountain, the flow over the falls varies, usually its highest during the winter, and spring months. Multnomah Falls offers one of the best places in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area to study geology exposed by floods.  Five flows of Yakima basalt are visible in the cliff’s face. The Benson Bridge, crafted by Italian stone masons, allows visitors to cross the falls between its lower and upper cataracts

In 1914, Simon Benson a prominent businessman and owner of the falls at that time erected the bridge. Before then, a log bridge was in its place. Benson gave the 300 acre site to the City of Portland. In 1943, the final ownership of the site and lodge was transferred to the USDA Forest Service.

The Lodge was built in 1925 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It had dormitories and four rooms for overnight stays. (Overnight accommodations are no longer available.)  Every type of rock found in the Columbia River Gorge is represented in the Lodge.

 

Wahkeena Falls:  The falls are 242 feet high and tiered.  These Falls were once known as Gordon Falls for F.E. Gordon a pioneer landowner. Because there was confusion with nearby Gorton Creek and Gordon Creek near the Sandy River, in 1915 a committed changed the name to Wahkneena Falls and Wahkneena Creek. This name is said to be a Yakima Indian word meaning “most beautiful”. 

 

Sheppard Dell Falls:  Sheppard Dell Falls are in two parts, the upper falls are 35-50 feet and the lower falls are between 40 and 60 feet in height. The lower falls is a horsetail formation and the upper falls is a plunge formation. The two tiers of the falls can be seen from the bridge crossing at Sheppard’s Dell State Park.

 

Latourell Falls:  The height of this falls is 249 feet and the type is called a plunge. The Upper Latourell Falls are also called a plunge.   Joseph Latourell was a prominent Columbia River Gorge settler and the falls are named after him.

 

On the way back you will have a chance to view the gorge from two key points and read more about the historical event in this area

 

Crown Point Vista House: High above the Columbia River at 733 feet is an awe-inspiring Columbia Gorge sits Vista House, the crown jewel of the Pacific Northwest. Constructed in 1918 at the cost of about $100,000, Vista House was designed to be, according to its architect, “an observatory from which the view and both up and down the Columbia could be viewed in silent communion with infinite.”  In 1915, Edgar M. Lazarus, Portland architect was selected to design Vista House. The art nouveau style house is approximately 44 feet wide and 55 feet high. Italian craftsmen built the foundation using a dry masonry (without cement or mortar) technique. Glazed green tiles cover the roof and the windows are made of amber-green opalescent art glass.

On November 14, 1915, The Oregonian stated that the “Vista House is intended to be the finishing achievement for the greatest highway in America and will grace the highest spot on that wonder way.” A few thrifty and less-than-enthusiastic Oregonians derided the project, calling it “the $100,000 Outhouse”.

 

Women’s Forum State Scenic Viewpoint: Women’s Forum State Park was originally named Chanticleer Point, by Mr. & Mrs. A.R. Morgan who purchased the property in 1912 and built an inn on the point with one of the most magnificent views in the world.  The inn was named “Chanticleer” after the rooster in the story, “Reynard the Fox”, a book written around 1175 in medieval European folklore and literature. Chanticleer Inn burned and the site was purchased by the Portland Women’s Form and donated to Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.  Learn More

 

Evergreen Aviation Museum

 

“The “Spruce Goose” or ‘crown jewel’ is the center piece of the Evergreen Aviation Museum. The giant Spruce Goose is also known as the Hughes Flying Boat H-4 (HK-1) Hercules.  The Spruce Goose is an aircraft designed and built by Howard Hughes’s Hughes Aircraft company.

 

It first and only flight was in 1947, by Howard Hughes himself only about one mile until he detected a vibration or pulsating in the aircraft frame or in the control wheel right after he lifted off and decided to set the H-4 back down rather than take a risk that it would be uncontrollable if he gained more altitude.  It was also said that he was just proving that it would indeed fly for the senators and that he wanted to prove his point so he only flew a short distant.

 

The Spruce Goose is the largest airplane ever built, the wing spans 320 feet—20 feet longer than a football field, it has enough cargo space to carry 2 (two) railroad cars. It has eight massive engines with 17-foot propellers. The weight of the Spruce Goose is 300,000 pounds. And it is made of wood even though it is called Spruce Goose it is made out of mostly birch.    

 

The museum also houses a large number of aircraft from U.S. aviation history in its 121,000 square-foot facility, including the Apollo Lunar Module.  The museum features a replica of the Wright Brother’s original 1903 craft as well as fighter jets, commercial planes and, in the spirit of those aviation pioneers, home-built aircraft from the 1990s.

 

History of the founding of the Evergreen Museum:

 

First envisioned by Capt. Michael King Smith, son of Evergreen International Aviation founder Delford Smith, the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum is the realization of his dream.  The museum first began with a small collection vintage aircraft on display in a hanger located at the headquarters and was called the Evergreen Museum. In March 1990, the current owner of the Spruce Goose, the Disney Corporation announced that it was closing the exhibit located in Long Beach, California.  The Aero club of Southern California was notified and they immediately began the search for a new home for the Spruce Goose.  In 1992, the Evergreen Museum won the bid with a proposal to build a museum around the aircraft and feature it as a central exhibit.

 

 

 

The disassembly of the aircraft began in August 1992. The plane was disassembled and shipped up the coast and up the Columbia River from Long Beach, Ca to Portland, Or. Where it was transferred to trucks and driven to McMinnville to the museum in February 1993. For the next eight years, the plane went through a detailed restoration, where volunteers removed all old paint and repainted the entire aircraft. This was only a small part of what was done as restoration.

 

In September 2000, the main parts of the aircraft were completed.  The fuselage, wings, and tail were all transported across the highway and into the new museum building, which was still being built at that time.  For the next year crews spent their time assembling the wings and tail to the fuselage. These were completed in time for the museum opening June 6, 2001. The control surfaces (flaps, ailerons, rudder, and elevators) were assembled later.  The last piece was put into place on December 7, 2001.

 

As of mid-June, 2008, there are now two main large exhibit centers open to the public, consisting of aviation, where the Spruce Goose acts to anchor the other exhibits, and space flight, in another, matching, new large building.  The current center of the space flight exhibit building is occupied by the SR-71 ‘Blackbird’, which originally rested under one wing of the Spruce Goose.  The Museum plans to obtain the ‘Enterprise’ space shuttle at some time in the future, then it will become the centerpiece in the flight exhibit center.  Flight simulators for space shuttle are available for use by visitors now.

 

Also at the museum there is a farm store and a tasting room.  The wine tasting is free and does not require admission to the Museum.

The Evergreen Vineyards Spruce Goose wines and juice, also they have hazelnut produce—biscotti, gift baskets and sweets.  The tasting room is open seven days a week, 11am-5pm. The Spruce Goose café is also opened daily from 9am-5pm, and also a gift shop for unique selections of aircraft gifts, educational toys, and clothing, and one of a kind gifts.

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“Hi all Y’all Kramer wine lovers,
 
The Valentine winemaker dinner for Wine Club members was a hit, and with all those aphrodesiacs, we may be guilty of contributing to the local population boom due mid-Nov, 2009!  We are sorry that you all couldn’t be here to experience this fine dining opportunity—the food was scrumptious, the wine legendary, and the company gregarious.  Toiling backstage in the kitchen, the only time I heard a hush was at the commencement of the main course.  The decorations were red and sparkly and the lights were romantically low.  We received many kudo’s for the menu—mostly for the grilled oysters, but we heard that the pomegranate-raspberry sorbet was the best!  And the Secret Admirer chocolate dessert had a secret aphrodisiac ingredient (–no, not Viagra)!  We hope to see more of you new members next year at this event.  Don’t forget to hold a spot on your calendar for the mid-July and mid-August ‘Under the Stars’ winemaker dinners.
 
Well, the winter’s over and we have turned over a new leaf.  The early spring wine club release will start ~March 17.  No, I can’t tell you what it will be at this time, we need to taste the newly released wines before making a decision—what a tough job!!  We have made changes to our website www.kramerwine.com. 
 
Three events to consider:  the Carlton Wine Auction on Sat March 7, the Sip 47-The Road Less Taken ‘Spring on 47‘ event, March 7-8 and the McMinnville Sip March 13-15.
 
One at a time….We will be serving Kramer wine at the Flavors of Carlton wine auction on Sat, March 7, starting at 5 pm.  This is a fun event with (really good) local wineries, food vendors, music, and 50 artists displaying their crafts.  It is a benefit for Yamhill-Carlton youth after school enrichment and community programs.  A very worthy cause—admission is $50 (covers wine and food).  Meet some local dignitaries and winemakers and artists and bid both the silent and hand auctions—you wouldn’t believe some of the art and wine (some older vintages too) they have auctioned!  As well as luxury vacations, winemaker dinners and tours, hot air balloon rides….
 
Each winery participating in the March 7-8 Sip 47 ‘Spring on 47’ has their own special happening—ours is an Earth Bag Roundup.  Bring your Kramer Earth Bag (the one you got with the Holiday Wine Club release), fill it with six bottles of wine and get 15% off the total purchase.  Although that’s the same deal that Kramer wine club members get every day, please tell your friends and neighbors.  If they don’t have a Kramer Earth Bag, we’ll give them one when they buy 6 bottles of Kramer wine! Check out the Sip 47 website www.sip47.com for other winery special events.  Don’t forget to visit Plum Hill winery (RJ and Juanita Lint worked here at Kramers and now have their own tasting room to tend) on old Hwy 47.  Plum Hill will have live music and a ‘dip your own’ bottle waxing experience.
 
Kramer will be at the McMinnville Sip at the Evergreen Aviation Museum (my favorite venue) to serve you a selection of Kramer wines Fri-Sun, March 13th-15th.  We received a bronze medal for our 2005 Chardonnay Barrel Select, the only chardonnay at competition to get a medal.  We also got a bronze medal on our 2006 Cardiac Hill Reserve Pinot Noir, one of only two Pinot Noir’s to get a medal.  Residing in the lap of one of the best Pinot Noir areas in the world, and only two got bronze medals???  What’s wrong with this picture?  Come and see if you agree with the judges.
 
Anyway, we have had several lovely sunny days and folks have picnicked on the deck.  Expecting many more…..come visit and enjoy the splendor that is Kramer Vineyards!  We are waiting to serve you!   Marilyn/Kramers (503) 662-4545
 
PS  Don’t forget to put marilyn@kramerwine.com in your address book so you don’t miss a critical communiqué!  Cheers! ”