Dawson Park (Portland, Oregon)

Dawson Park
Signage for the park in 2013
Map
LocationN Stanton St. and Williams Ave.
Portland, Oregon
Coordinates45°32′39″N 122°40′03″W / 45.54416667°N 122.66750000°W / 45.54416667; -122.66750000
Area2.05 acres (0.83 ha)
Created1921
DesignerFlorence Holmes Gerke
Operated byPortland Parks & Recreation

Dawson Park is a historic urban park in north Portland, Oregon, in the United States.[1] The 2.05 acres (0.83 ha) park is located at Stanton Street and North Williams Avenue.

History

Gazebo in 2013

Dawson Park was designed by Florence Holmes Gerke,[2] and acquired by Portland Parks & Recreation in 1921.[3]

In November 2013, a $2.6 million renovation began, resulting in the park's closure for nearly a year. City officials, aware of gentrification of the surrounding neighborhood, utilized community input to avoid ruining the park's role as a gathering place favored by African Americans.[4] The upgraded park now includes a new playground and interactive water feature, enhanced accessibility and lighting, and new barbecue and picnic areas. Dawson Park also features double-sided artistic medallions designed by Isaka Shamsud-Din, with traditional African patterns on one side and depictions of the neighborhood on the opposite side.[5] Additionally, the twelve artistic "story boulders" were added to the park to help preserve its history.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Dawson Park Is Precious. That's Why Its Dilemma Is So Painful". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 2022-09-19. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  2. ^ "Obituary: Landscape Designer, Editor Dies". The Oregon Daily Journal. 24 August 1964. p. 6. Retrieved 27 August 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Dawson Park". Portland Parks & Recreation. Archived from the original on December 14, 2014. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
  4. ^ Parks, Casey (September 10, 2016). "North Williams gentrified. Its park didn't. How Dawson Park survived as a black hub". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on September 14, 2016. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  5. ^ Parks, Casey (November 18, 2013). "Dawson Park construction begins; park will close until June". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
  6. ^ "Dawson Park | Portland.gov". www.portland.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-10.