Southwest Portland in Multnomah County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)
December 4, 1850
| | The Oregonian | |
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, June 26, 2026
1. December 4, 1850 Marker
The Date:
December 4, 1850.
Portlands Population:
760.
News of the year:
The California Gold Rush was in full swing. The Compromise of 1850 admitted California as the 31st state.
On this site:
A one-story wooden structure housing The Oregonians first printing press. The newspaper was founded by two Portland businessmen, Stephen Coffin and William W. Chapman, who were irked by Portlands dismal status and convinced a newspaper would upgrade their village.
They went in search of an Editor and found Thomas J. Dryer in San Francisco.
Coffin, Chapman and Dryer stayed up all night to print the first issue of The Oregonian on December 4, 1850. A carrier, on horseback, spread copies of the new four-page paper through Portland and the northern Willamette Valley.
Commemoration Park Committee:
Joseph R. Bianco, The Oregonian, chairman. Carl Gohs, Architecture writer. Chet Orloff, Development Officer, Oregon Historical Society. Leo Sorensen, Superintendent of Parks, Multnomah County.
This dedication was sponsored July
this page online
Fred A. Stickel, President and Publisher, The Oregonian.
William A. Hilliard, Executive Editor, The Oregonian.
This plaque was created by The Oregonian Publishing Company.
Erected 1983 by The Oregonian.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Communications. A significant historical date for this entry is December 4, 1850.
Location. 45° 31.067′ N, 122° 40.402′ W. Marker has been reported unreadable. Marker is in Portland, Oregon, in Multnomah County. It is in Southwest Portland. It is at the intersection of Southwest Morrison Street and Southwest 1st Avenue, on the right when traveling west on Southwest Morrison Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 50 SW Morrison Street, Portland OR 97204, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge and in the Willamette Valley. It is also on the American Pacific Coast, in the Pacific Northwest, and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, June 26, 2026
2. December 4, 1850 Marker
This severely weathered marker is the first of six plaques found in Oregonian Printing Press Park.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: November 11, 1918 (here, next to this marker); November 23, 1963 (here, next to this marker); July 21, 1969 (here, next to this marker); May 19, 1980 (here, next to this marker); First Issue of The Oregonian (here, next to this marker); August 15, 1945 (here, next to this marker); Centennial Block, 1878 (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Mill Ends Park (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Portland.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 2, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 1, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 1, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
