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Portland
Attractions
24 Hour Church of Elvis
The 24 Hour Church of Elvis was a museum
and gift shop in Portland, Oregon, USA devoted primarily towards 1970s
popular culture memorabilia opened in 1997 by Stephanie G. Pierce.
The museum offered legal weddings for $25 and "cheap, not legal"
weddings for $5. The fake weddings could be same sex and consisted
of riding around the block in a wheeled "altar" known as
the Loveseat Chariot, which was adorned with pieces of Barbie dolls
and stickers featuring 1970s celebrities.
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Hour Church of Elvis |
Burgerville,
USA
Burgerville, USA is a chain of fast-food
restaurants found only in Oregon and Southwest Washington. As the
chain's name suggests, Burgerville's menu consists mostly of hamburgers;
in addition, the menu includes milkshakes, chicken and turkey sandwiches,
and fish and chips made from halibut. Most are located in the Portland
metro area. Reflecting its limited presence, the chain has used the
slogan "Inconveniently located for most of America". The
chain is best known for using local ingredients almost exclusively,
such as Tillamook Cheese and locally grown strawberries. While their
products are considered to be of higher quality than most fast-food
outlets, this is also reflected in higher prices.
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USA |
Oaks
Amusement Park
Oaks Park, an amusement park, is located
15 minutes by car south of downtown Portland, Oregon, near the Sellwood
Bridge. Its midway rides and 44 acres (178,000 m²) of grounds
are modest; except during special events (such as the Fourth of July
and Oktoberfest) the park can be quite empty.
The park was built by the Oregon Water Power and Navigation Company
and opened on May 30, 1905, during a period when trolley parks were
often constructed along streetcar lines. By 1985, the park was donated
to a not-for-profit corporation which operates it as of 2004.
Notable rides include the cyclone, a giant slide, a looping roller
coaster and bumper cars. There is also a slow-moving miniature train
ride for kids. The roller skating rink is opened year-round and is
considered by many to be the best part of the park; roller skates
and roller blades can be rented at the rink.
More on
Oaks Amusement
Park
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Pioneer
Courthouse Square
Pioneer Courthouse Square, advertised
as Portland's Living Room, is a public space occupying a full 40,000
ft² (3700 m²) city block in the center of downtown Portland,
Oregon.
On either side of the square are sheltered MAX lightrail stops. On
one side you will find towering classical columns, while on the other
they are toppled over like those of an ancient ruin. On one end is
a Starbucks and a cascading waterfall fountain. Between them is an
alcove in which many of the younger crowd gather to drink coffee and
chat. The center of the square is arranged like an amphitheater, with
steps serving as seats when the square is used for musical performances
or other events. When not used for events, it is a place where citizens
congregate, to talk, juggle or play hacky sack. On many days, you'll
find one or two buskers lining the edges of the square.
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Portlandia
Portlandia is a sculpture by Raymond Kaskey
located above the entrance of the Portland Building in downtown Portland,
Oregon. It is notable for being the second largest copper repoussé
statue in the United States after the Statue of Liberty. Installed
in September 1985 after being floated down the Willamette River on
a barge, the statue is based on the design of the city seal. It depicts
a woman in classical clothes with a trident reaching down with right
hand to greet visitors to the building. The statue itself is 36 feet
(11 meters) high. If standing, the woman would be approximately 50
feet (15 m) high. An accompanying plaque contains a poem by Portland
resident Ronald Talney.
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Portland
Saturday Market
The Portland Saturday Market is the largest
outdoor arts and crafts market in continuous operation in the United
States. It is held every Saturday and Sunday from March to December
under the Burnside Bridge in Portland, Oregon. The market has over
400 members who generate about $8 million in gross sales annually
and attract over 750,000 visitors to the historic Old Town district
of Portland each year. While the market is accessible by foot and
bike, Tri-Met's blue, red, and yellow MAX lines stop right in the
middle bringing in people from all over the metro area.
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Saturday Market |
Powell's
City of Books
Powell's City of Books is a bookstore
in Portland, Oregon, and the largest independent bookstore in the
United States. It is located on the edge of downtown and the Pearl
District, occupying a full city block between NW 10th and 11th Avenues
and Burnside and Couch Streets. The "City of Books" is headquarters
for a local chain of bookstores which also maintains a growing business
in online sales.
Powell's main store is open 365 days a year, and contains over 68,000
ft² of floor space. The inventory for its retail and online sales
is over 1 ½ million books, with plans to grow to two million
in 2004.
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City of Books |
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