| Dawson Park | |
|---|---|
-1.jpg) Signage for the park in 2013 | |
| Location | N Stanton St. and Williams Ave. Portland, Oregon |
| Coordinates | 45°32′39″N 122°40′03″W / 45.54416667°N 122.66750000°W / 45.54416667; -122.66750000 |
| Area | 2.05 acres (0.83 ha) |
| Created | 1921 |
| Designer | Florence Holmes Gerke |
| Operated by | Portland Parks & Recreation |
Dawson Park is a historic urban park in north Portland, Oregon, in the United States. The 2.05 acres (0.83 ha) park is located at Stanton Street and North Williams Avenue.
History
Dawson Park was designed by Florence Holmes Gerke, and acquired by Portland Parks & Recreation in 1921.
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. 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. Additionally, the twelve artistic "story boulders" were added to the park to help preserve its history.
See also
References
- "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.
- "Obituary: Landscape Designer, Editor Dies". The Oregon Daily Journal. 24 August 1964. p. 6. Retrieved 27 August 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Dawson Park". Portland Parks & Recreation. Archived from the original on December 14, 2014. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
- 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.
- 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.
- "Dawson Park | Portland.gov". www.portland.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
External links
Media related to Dawson Park (Portland, Oregon) at Wikimedia Commons
