Lovejoy Columns, Railroad support columns with murals in Pearl District, Portland, US
The Lovejoy Columns are concrete pillars in Portland's Pearl District decorated with paintings of doves, owls, lions, anthropomorphic trees, and figures from Greek mythology. They were created by railroad watchman Tom Stefopoulos during his work breaks and stand as examples of handcrafted art that remain visible in the area.
These works were created between 1948 and 1952 when Greek immigrant Athanasios Stefopoulos painted the columns during his work as a watchman for the SP&S Railroad Company. His artistic efforts transformed everyday infrastructure into a notable record of creativity from that era.
These columns became woven into Portland's artistic identity and appeared in films like Drugstore Cowboy as well as in musician Elliott Smith's video Lucky Three.
Two preserved columns now stand at Northwest 10th Avenue between Everett and Flanders Streets where visitors can examine the restored artworks closely. The works are freely accessible and can be visited at any time.
A surprising fact is that only two of the original columns have survived, while others disappeared long ago. The Portland Street Art Alliance launched an initiative in 2023 to honor these forgotten artistic contributions through new murals.
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