Portland, Oregon

Demographics:

• The population of Portland is estimated at 557,706
• There are 235,935 households within the city limits
• The average income per household is $47,143
• People who live in Portland use the area codes 503 (Find a phone number in Portland here)

Many famous people have lived in Portland, including:
Matt Groening, Mel Blanc, Sam Elliot, Gus Van Sant, Courtney Love, Brent Musburger, Terrell Brandon, Tonya Harding, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Chuck Palahniuk

Historical Notes:
The two people who founded Portland, Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove, did not agree on what the city should be named. It was finally decided by a coin toss - had the coin landed on the other side, the city would have been called Boston.

During the 1950's Portland was so overrun by organized crime that it was recognized and dealt with by the McClellan Committee, which was created by the United States Senate.

In Portland you are not allowed to pump your own gas – cars must be filled up by station attendants all throughout Oregon.

Portland is sometimes known as the City of Roses.

The first explorers to see Portland were Lewis and Clark while on their famous expedition in 1806. They extolled the value of the land they had seen, but it wasn't until many years later that the area started to take shape as a town. In 1843 William Overton and Asa Lovejoy took over their claim to a large portion of the Portland area.

After a few years Overton wanted out, and sold his part of the claim to Francis Pettygrove who then helped Lovejoy establish the town. They worked hard to clear trees and map out streets, and thanks to the area's close proximity to the Columbia River, Portland began to prosper. It was officially incorporated as a city in 1851, and became a home for people in the farming, fishing and cattle ranching industries.

Portland hosted the 1905 World Fair, also known as the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, and within five years the city's population doubled. A large railway system and newly improved roads helped make the city a very attractive destination.

In more recent times, Portland became noted as a key city for the dot-com industry. Many web and graphic designers moved to the city during the 1990's to start their own businesses or work at established corporations. Today Portland is known for its varied industries and being home to a large population of artists.