In the early 1900s, the Pearl District was a major industrial and transportation hub of Portland, with extensive rail yards, warehousing, and manufacturing facilities. In the 1950s, many industrial activities were relocated as transportation patterns shifted from water and rail to surface transit on interstate highways and air. The low rents that soon followed created spaces for artists and small businesses.Â
The Pearl District of today began in the early 1980s with extensive planning efforts to convert warehouses and rail yards into mixed use development. Pearl District redevelopment gained momentum in the 1990s which resulted in urban mixed use with multi-family residential buildings, offices, and a broad range of retail shops and services.Â
Park Hours: 5:00 AM - Midnight