Exhibition: Roots of Democracy: Bernard Goldsmith and the Role of Washington Park in Civic Life

Cities are built upon layered histories.

The Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, bands of Chinook, Tualatin, Kalapuya, Molalla, and many other peoples lived on, traveled through, and cared for this land long before Portland existed. Their stewardship sustained communities for thousands of years, guided by deep ecological knowledge and cultural relationships with the environment.

White settlement in the 19th century disrupted these systems of care and replaced Indigenous stewardship with extractive development and urban growth. As Portland expanded, planners and civic leaders reinterpreted the landscape through a Euro-American view of ownership and “improvement.” When Portland established its first park in 1871, City Park (now known as Washington Park) reflected a new civic ideal — one of pride, recreation, and relief from crowded streets — that starkly contrasted with Indigenous perspectives of the land as a living, interconnected resource rather than a space to be designed, managed, or escaped to.

This year marks 155 years since Portland acquired the land that became Washington Park. This exhibition invites us to honor these layered histories — from the first stewards of this place to those who later sought belonging here — and to reflect on how today’s choices will shape the Portland we hand down to future generations.

Event Accessibility:

• Wheelchair-accessible venue
• Sensory-friendly accommodations
• Service animals welcome