Martin Luther King Jr Gateway and Heritage Markers

A project to tell the story of the

North and NorthEast Neighborhoods

of Portland, Oregon,

along Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard.

The Gateway Site is shown to the left, where

NE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard and

NE Grand merge, just north of Broadway.

The project will also encompass a series of heritage markers and sidewalk plaques, shown below.

This project has been driven by community stakeholders, under the auspices of the Portland Development Commission.

For further information or to get involved,

contact Irene Bowers, PDC project manager,

at 503 823 2419.

More detailed information is also available at:

Day and night views of the North Star concept: Weaving a basket out of the night sky. A beacon that announces arrival to the neighborhood.

This story is about migration and arrival. It asks the questions, How did we get here? And, Where are we going?

If your ancestors lived in the Northern Hemisphere, then they used the North Star to navigate. That is one thing many cultures have in common.

Early humans streaming out of Africa, across the land bridge and into the Americas, using the Pole Star to orient themselves along the way.

People leaving their homelands because of religion, or politics, or slavery. People migrating to have a chance at a better life, people migrating because they had no choice.

This place, where we are, is our new center. We arrived by different means, but it is quite clear we are all here now, and this is home to each and every one of us.

This neighborhood, where we are now, is fertile and vibrant for many layered reasons. Some came here by choice. For others, this was the only place they were allowed to go. But as we all know, time and pressure can create beautiful and unforeseen consequences. We inherit an imperfect world from our parents, and as we mature we see how long the arc of change can be. But if we are not impatient for change then change will never be fulfilled, even if it becomes our children’s job to finish the task. Each new generation is more aware and accepting that the diversity of our planet, our people, and our traditions is more than a mere fact of existence, but that within our diversity lies the secret to our long term survival.

Heritage Markers and Sidewalk Plaques as currently envisioned for the project.

The Heritage Markers would be able to tell multiple stories at each location.

A 'History Harvest' has been envisioned as a way for collecting these stories.

The sidewalk plaques could tell a story of a specific person, place, or event- history on the spot.

Many thanks to Marquis Stoudamire and Chris Tamiyasu for modeling.

Project Team:

2ink Studio - Landscape Architecture. Melinda Graham & Jonathan Beaver

The Felt Hat - Graphic Design. Paul Mort

Historian - Janice Dilg

'Outlook Portland' with David Bragdon - Interview Here on YouTube:

There are four segments to the interview (type in Outlook Portland Paul Knauls to pull them up.)