Memorial Coliseum Book
@memcoliseumbook.bsky.social
Building Portland’s Memorial Coliseum: A Mid-Century Political Firestorm by Michael Orr about the site selection process in the 1950s. Coming in 2026 via The History Press
Housing Act of ‘49.
Anyway, it’s a super interesting time in politics and housing shit in cities, the west, Portland specifically, and relative to sports in the west in the mid-late 50s. So many intersecting lines.
Anyway, it’s a super interesting time in politics and housing shit in cities, the west, Portland specifically, and relative to sports in the west in the mid-late 50s. So many intersecting lines.
October 5, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Housing Act of ‘49.
Anyway, it’s a super interesting time in politics and housing shit in cities, the west, Portland specifically, and relative to sports in the west in the mid-late 50s. So many intersecting lines.
Anyway, it’s a super interesting time in politics and housing shit in cities, the west, Portland specifically, and relative to sports in the west in the mid-late 50s. So many intersecting lines.
Yep, that’s exactly right. I don’t know if the money would’ve passed if they’d specified the bridge site, as almost no one had ever mentioned it before 1954 (other than a *very* short lived 1953 article in the papers). But they sure were happy to offer the site up after the ‘54 amendment to the
October 5, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Yep, that’s exactly right. I don’t know if the money would’ve passed if they’d specified the bridge site, as almost no one had ever mentioned it before 1954 (other than a *very* short lived 1953 article in the papers). But they sure were happy to offer the site up after the ‘54 amendment to the
they tried!
and I guess I should’ve written “so-called.” I did in the book
and I guess I should’ve written “so-called.” I did in the book
October 5, 2025 at 9:19 PM
they tried!
and I guess I should’ve written “so-called.” I did in the book
and I guess I should’ve written “so-called.” I did in the book
ha, yeah it was a proper house party
September 22, 2025 at 4:38 PM
ha, yeah it was a proper house party
Long story short, this project was bungled and mismanaged from the start. Poor planning and confusing/incomplete wording of ballot measures cost the city years, to say nothing of regional prestige and clout.
September 5, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Long story short, this project was bungled and mismanaged from the start. Poor planning and confusing/incomplete wording of ballot measures cost the city years, to say nothing of regional prestige and clout.
Also worth noting, the Coliseum was a city project and was not in any way affiliated with federal Urban Renewal projects that followed. Doesn’t mean they didn’t try to tie the ER Center to UR, especially in 1956 when it was to be located next to the Auditorium. But bc reasons, it never happened.
September 5, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Also worth noting, the Coliseum was a city project and was not in any way affiliated with federal Urban Renewal projects that followed. Doesn’t mean they didn’t try to tie the ER Center to UR, especially in 1956 when it was to be located next to the Auditorium. But bc reasons, it never happened.
The fact that the building ended up at the bridge site four years later (I mean the decision, obv didn’t open til ‘60) is pretty weird and was very unlikely. Boody’s ‘53 plan was not well received at the time and basically wasn’t considered again for a few years.
September 5, 2025 at 4:42 AM
The fact that the building ended up at the bridge site four years later (I mean the decision, obv didn’t open til ‘60) is pretty weird and was very unlikely. Boody’s ‘53 plan was not well received at the time and basically wasn’t considered again for a few years.