Self-Guided History Tour
Begin your tour at Washington Park’s historic Park Place Entrance, where you’ll find the towering Lewis & Clark Monument atop a foundation laid by Theodore Roosevelt in 1903. From there, broad pathways and tall trees lead into some of the Park’s oldest gathering spaces. Stop to explore monuments and memorials that reflect different moments in Oregon and Portland history, including the 1904 Chief Multnomah statue (also known as “The Coming of the White Man”), the 1905 Sacajawea and Jean-Baptiste Memorial statue, and the historic 1891 Chiming Fountain.
Continue at your own pace through quiet pathways and shaded overlooks before arriving at the Oregon Holocaust Memorial, a powerful space for reflection tucked among the trees. Along the way, you’ll experience a different side of Washington Park—one shaped not only by gardens and forests, but by storytelling, remembrance, public art, and the people who helped shape the region’s identity over time.
Just 0.2 miles south of the memorial, the rehabilitated Washington Park Reservoir holds over a century of water service history and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Restored 1894-era features include historic fencing, lighting, and iconic gatehouses.
