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Published: October 14th 2010
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Portland sits near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers and has a population of almost 600,000 people. It's been referred to as the most environmentally friendly city in the U.S. Francis Pettygrove, after winning a coin toss for the right to name the place, named the city after his home town of Portland, Maine. Getting from the airport to the downtown area is easy for the traveler as there is an efficient light rail system. There are a number of attractions, museums, and places to see in Portland and the surrounding area.
The Oregon Zoo is a pretty average zoo, however, if you like zoos as we do, you'll find it an enjoyable experience to spend a few hours at this one. On the day that we attended, the weather was overcast but dry. There is a small train, which costs extra, that one can ride around the zoo grounds. This zoo has the usual assortment of animals, such as elephants, bears, zebras, monkeys, giraffes, and others. On the day that we attended, the section holding the tigers and lions was closed.
The Oregon Museum of Science & Industry is another place to visit when you're in
Portland. It seems as if every place has an IMAX and this museum is no exception. One can attend this IMAX for an additional admission price. This museum has just about something for everyone. There was a lot of children present who seemed to enjoy themselves with the interactive exhibits. One section had turbines, including a jet engine, and a small room where one could enter and experience a 6.8 earthquake. Another section had the progression of growth of a human fetus. This place is both an interesting and educational experience for both children and adults.
In back of the museum is located the submarine USS Blueback and this vessel can be toured for an additional price. On the day that we toured it, a submarine veteran showed us around and explained the various features of the submarine. This was one of the last diesel powered submarines built and it was active during the Vietnam War. A submarine is far different from a surface ship and is a very interesting vessel to visit. As we walked through the long narrow spaces of the Blueback, the tour guide gave the visitors a vivid description of life on board and patiently
answered all of our questions.
The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum is located in the small town of McMinnville, which is within an hour's driving distance from Portland. This place is located in three huge buildings, one of which is an IMAX. The latter can be visited at an additional price. This is the home of the famous aircraft Spruce Goose, a huge transport plane built by and flown by the famous recluse Howard Hughes. I had heard of this aircraft for decades but wasn't prepared for this huge flying machine which was built prior to the large passenger and military aircraft of today. It's length and wingspan dominate the entire aviation museum and all of the other aircraft, including helicopters, are located around it. Another showpiece of this museum is the Flying Fortress or B-17 which is famous for its action over Germany during WWII. For an additional price, one can go on a tour of this aircraft. There are other aircraft, both civilian and military, in this particular museum. When one tires of walking, he can sit and watch one of the numerous videos which feature documentaries relating to the various aircraft. There are volunteers around, many
of them knowledgeable about certain aircraft, to assist the visitors.
The other building houses the space museum which is dedicated to the history of the space program. It is just as well organized as the aviation museum. Located outside, and around the museums, are more aircraft including a Cobra helicopter. These helicopters came out during the Vietnam War and saw action in that conflict. Also located outside are several tanks and other military vehicles. When visiting this museum complex, one should allow himself several hours as there is a lot to see and enjoy here.
The Mission Hill Museum is located close to downtown Salem, which is about an hour's drive south of Portland. The museum consists of several buildings and gives one the history of the wool industry in Oregon. After viewing a short video in the Orientation Center, the visitor is given a key and can tour the various buildings by himself. There's the Parsonage, Pleasant Grove Church, and the John Boone and Jason Lee Houses, which are four separate buildings. However, the most interesting section is the area which contains the machine shop, mill building, dye house & scouring room, picker house, and turbine &
crown gears. A canal was built to divert water from the nearby river and this water was used to power the various machinery which dates back to the 19th century. While touring the complex, the visitor can see where the canal ran under the industrial area of the museum thus powering the machinery.
Prior to leaving Salem, one should stop by and visit the state's capital. It is an imposing structure and is located on Court Street. There's an area inside which has plenty of information about the history of the building. One can also wander around the different floors and see the various rooms where laws are made in Oregon.
The town of Brooks is located within driving distance of Portland and a good reason for visiting it is the Antique Powerland Museum. This place has it all. There is a building filled with old steam driven tractors. There are gas and diesel driven ones as well. Tractors are also sitting outside. Another building is filled with streetcars and trolley cars from different parts of the world. Since the building is filled to capacity, there are others sitting outside. Trucks fill two of the buildings. In one
large building, trucks from the present back to the forties are parked. Another building houses trucks from the thirties back to the early part of the 20th century. The main office where you pay the admission fee also has quite a few things to see. It will take one a couple of hours or more to see this museum. The place takes one from the present back to the past.
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