Legends of Goose Hollow

Jul 12, 2012 Comments Off by Dmae Roberts

Hear about the history of one of Portland’s oldest neighborhoods, Goose Hollow, just outside of downtown. Dmae talks with author Tracy J. Prince, Ph.D who has researched Goose Hollow’s history in a new book filled with vintage photos. From forest to farmland to stadiums and schools, the story of Goose Hollow’s development is a dramatic evolution. Learn the backstory of how it got its name and hear about all the famous residents and visitors.

Tracy J, Prince

With more than 200 archival photos , Portland’s Goose Hollow. Prince provides answers on the origin of the Goose Hollow name, how Tanner Creek Gulch was filled and has created a revealing historical look at an area that’s often forgotten and disregarded.

Portland’s Goose Hollow tells stories of the Great Plank Road, City Park’s slow-moving landslide and famous residents such as Daniel Lownsdale, C. E. S. Wood, Dr. Marie Equi, John Reed, and Bud Clark. Historic institutions such as Civic Stadium, Multnomah Athletic Club, Lincoln High School and Washington Park.

More about the book: One of Portland’s oldest neighborhoods, Goose Hollow is steps from downtown and beloved for its quirky character, historic homes, spectacular views and walkability.

Chinook woman and baby. Native American women once sold kindling & wild berries to Portlanders. Photo: taken by Lily E. White (1902)(c) Library of Congress

More than a century ago, the actual “hollow” was dramatically altered when the meandering Tanner Creek, in a deep gulch with several trestle bridge crossings, was diverted underground and infilled.

The creek’s presence is still felt in the ravine carved through the Tualatin Mountains (spanned by the Vista Bridge) and in the neighborhood’s identity.

Read a review of Portland’s Goose Hollow from the Willamette Week.

Learn about what you didn’t know about Goose Hollow!

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More about the author:

Tracy J. Prince, Ph.D. lives in Goose Hollow and is a Scholar-in-Residence at Portland State University’s Portland Center for Public Humanities. By interviewing numerous Portland families and conducting archival research at the Oregonian, City of Portland, and the Oregon Historical Society, Prince uncovered the little-known history of this charming neighborhood.

(1880) Portlander's relied on Chinese farmers in Goose Hollow. Photo: Oregon Historical Society

Prince first started researching the history of her neighborhood in 2009, when she was designing flags for the neighborhood and wanted to put a date of establishment on the flag.

She had so much fun digging around in her neighborhood’s history and felt that so much of it was completely unknown to Portland that she decided to keep researching.

She reports that she had a wonderful time exploring in archives, meeting postcard and antique photo collectors, and talking to old folks about the good ol’ days

(1960) Jayne Mansfield comes to ride Rose Festival Float. Photo: Oregon Historical Society.

Portland’s Goose Hollow is available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at (888)-313-2665 or www.arcadiapublishing.com.

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Here’s a video extra! After the interview, Prince and her daughter Zadie showed me how they harmonize. Take a look at this charming video of their impromptu performance..