Brush up on Elk history + share yours
|
|
 |
| Our panelists, left to right: Adam Davis, Milo Reed, David Harrelson, Keith Eggener. |
|
|
Thank you to all who joined us for our latest Green Dreams event honoring the colorful history of the Thompson P. Elk Fountain. We enjoyed a lively conversation about the past, present and future of the Elk Fountain with David Harrelson, Milo Reed, Keith Eggener and Adam Davis. This panel was part of PPF’s Green Dreams series, On The Nature of Monuments, in partnership with the Portland Monuments Project, a collection of community engagement events seeking to inform and collect feedback from Portlanders about approaches to monument and memory-making.
Miss the event? Want to hear the discussion again? We invite you to watch the panel on our YouTube channel (link here). You’ll hear our speakers discuss personal experiences with monuments, intriguing histories around the elk (even the living, breathing ones!), and our shared downtown experiences.
We also invite you to contribute to a unique community survey developed with PSU’s Regional Research Institute to gather opinions and experiences with the Elk and other monuments here in Portland. This is the best place to provide feedback at this time. The survey is live until Friday, November 21.
|
|
PPF stewards the Elk back downtown
|
|
 |
| New granite pieces freshly carved and ready for installation later this winter. |
|
|
PPF has been a core steward in bringing the Elk back downtown, as part of a unique public-private partnership. In May 2022, with a contribution by a generous donor, the Portland Parks Foundation began work on a feasibility study for the rehabilitation of the David P. Thompson Elk Fountain and the return to its historic home in Southwest Main Street. Originally commissioned in 1900 to honor the Oregon Humane Society, the Elk Fountain was damaged and had to be removed during 2020’s downtown social unrest.
In May 2023, Portland City Council voted unanimously to fund the restoration and return of the elk to its original location per PPF’s feasibility study. Just days after that vote, 65 donors stepped up to fund the 100-percent contract drawings, accelerating the elk’s return by 6-12 months. Construction formally began earlier this year with current estimates of the Elk’s final return in early 2026. Learn more about the Elk’s history and the restoration project here.
|
|
Be part of legacy projects
|
|
|
Capital projects are one pillar of PPF’s work to help people help parks in order to create a Portland that is vibrant, accessible, and active. By donating to PPF, you become a critical partner in supporting a wide network of parks, nature, and public space advocates that bring unique projects and programs to our community. Make a year-end gift today, or give monthly to sustain our work year round!
|
|
|
