South Park Blocks, Urban park in downtown Portland, United States.
The South Park Blocks comprise twelve blocks of green space in downtown Portland with mature trees and paved walkways throughout. Multiple public sculptures and artworks are positioned along the route, including the 1926 Shemanski Fountain featuring ornamental drinking basins.
Daniel Lownsdale established the space in 1852 as Portland was still developing, setting aside eleven narrow blocks for public use. The layout has remained largely unchanged through the city's modern expansion.
The blocks host the Portland Cultural District and the green centre of Portland State University. The first Earth Day fair took place here on April 22, 1970, and Portland's first gay pride fair was held along the park in 1975. The Rose Festival began in and around the blocks in 1936 before moving to Tom McCall Waterfront Park.
The park provides drinking fountains, benches, and paved pathways for easy movement and resting. The various artworks and central location make it straightforward to explore the space at a leisurely pace.
Six of the twelve blocks were lost to private owners in the 1870s, and the city declined to pay $6,000 per block. Two were later recovered: O'Bryant Square in 1973 and Director Park in 2009. The blocks joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2022.
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