South Park Blocks Added To National Register Of Historic Places

PORTLAND, OR — As you can see from the picture, even a dog recognizes the significance of the South Park Blocks. Now, so does the National Register of Historic Places,

The register just included the 8.76 acre park spread over 12 blocks in downtown Portland.

The Oregon State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation nominated the park last November.

The park was conceived and first laid out in 1852 by Daniel Lownsdale and its boundaries have hardly changed since. Much of the landscaping was laid out by horticulturalist Louis Pfunder in the 1870s.

The park is nestled in an area that now includes the campus of Porland State University, historic churches, apartment buildings and cultural venues.

Many events have called the park home including the Rose Festival for many years. The city's first gay pride parade and Earth Day celebration were held there and it was also the scene of Occupy Portland protests in 2011.

The National Register of Historic Places is part of the National Park Service. Officials stress that being included in the register does not place any state or federal restrictions on the place.