Step into the hidden wonders and history of Portland's public stairways | Oregon Field Guide

[@DianMillion-wp5wp]

I was a young mom in the 1970’s. We lived around 19th and Overton- I used to love going up i to the West Hills using those stairs-I was really poor, $ wise but I felt rich because the hills and parks up there had beauty and a sense of adventure. The stairs up there are magical.

[@frala2398]

@@DianMillion-wp5wp lovely

[@markg1490]

More interesting than expected.

[@Tser]

I was super excited when I saw the subject of this documentary. This is amazing, how fascinating. I love learning about the layout and infrastructure of our city before cars, because it really is so rugged when you think about it,, once you get away from the river bank. I'll definitely be getting that book.

[@OPB]

thank you for sharing our passion for stairs! Just so you know, this was an older story we did and just published here from our archives. That book has been out for a while now www.powells.com/book/portland-stair-walks-explore-portland-oregons-public-stairways-9781621063452

[@davec9244]

who knew? that is truly a blast from the past. thank you ALL stay safe

[@oneshotdeliano6495]

Agreed 👍

[@neverhomepnw]

I love these throwback mini docs

[@lisahinkofer2085]

Wow. Beautiful. Loved watching this

[@BobRooney290]

i loved this documentary! more pleez! nice to see feel good stories.

[@dr.eldontyrell-rosen926]

Fascinating. Added to my bucket list, thanks! ❤

[@dougwalker4944]

..amazing...a way to stay fit and mobile. I was in moving early 2000s . walked a lot of stairs over there, carrying other people stuff. 20yrs later...I wish for a wheelchair with a stair-climbing ability

[@chnalvr]

Very cool information! Seattle has very similar staircase networks in our hills around the city.

[@isabellavalencia8026]

@@chnalvr especially queen anne area

[@RichGilpin]

Very Nice. Appreciate Laura's documenting these stairs and publishing about them. Around 25-30 years ago was introduced to many I did not know during Mazama City Hikes.

[@susanfaulkner2304]

My husband and I lived by Mt Tabor. This was back in the 1980's. Before they tore down the little homes to make way for I- 205. It was vey pretty back then

[@Doug1674]

these unmarked stairs are so much fun to find around the city. nice video!

[@IBRAKEFORBEDROCK]

Definitely some good minerals in there ! Thanks for the tour ⛏⛏

[@KyleFordkidzombie]

These videos make me happy! I’m definitely going to seek out a few of these staircases this summer!

[@OPB]

This is a great way to spend a summer day. I can attest! -Ed Jahn

[@sophaphopha]

I live in SW Goose Hollow and by far my favorite part of my morning walks is snaking through the neighborhood looking for stairways just like these! Thank you for describing my love for these little gems in such wise words

[@GeologyNick]

Good episode!

[@OPB]

Thank you! -Ed Jahn

[@PunaSquirrel]

Aloha Nick🤙🏼

[@mackpines]

Portland has so much fascinating history. Love learning about the city’s more obscure places.

[@keeanmorishita8457]

I wish they would have shown the Cardinell Stairway by PSU campus that go up to the west hills. That set is in my opinion more impressive than most shown on this video

[@garrettbourdas5884]

Fascinating!

[@ericdunkle5980]

very cool

[@chukengr8]

I love the stairs in Portland!

[@shylentcat]

Thank you for showing be a bunch of wonderful and discreet places to sleep and camp. Without having to cope with the needless torture of having to suffer and support the abomination of commerce, private property and wealth. I look forward to doing a camping spree and explore the entire stairway network. I already live along one by the zoo.

[@jasonsnow5549]

I live in NW Portland and love climbing all the different stairs on my runs. Been looking for a good map to find more but it’s also fun to be surprised when finding new ones. Excited for this book!

[@ericgneckow8701]

This is awesome!

[@andrewmurray9391]

On the first day of a new job, I mapped out everything on Google, took it to street view and calculated some bus math. Only to find, the road to where I need to go is a powerline through someone's backyard. It had the green sign and everything, so a hungry young man picked up his bike and got thorned in the legs like his father before him.

[@AlexaSmith]

wow! I learned so much from this. How cool!

[@OPB]

So glad!

[@MingTheMerciless-xs5kb]

In my youth I climbed many of those stairways, thank you OPB.

[@michaelcase8574]

Not to mention the WPA stairs in Oregon City leading up the hill next to the OC elevator.

[@OPB]

We had to leave a few out there for people to find and discover on their own. So many great stairways in this region, not just in Portland! -Ed Jahn

[@downercowzzz.3236]

Inspiring!

[@maverik15j]

Saw her book for sale at Powell's awhile back. Next time I'll be sure to snag it. About the signage. Without it can be confusing if it's private property or not. Especially if you can't see to the end of the flight.

[@CoreyBranstrom]

I've seen them, and always wanted to climb some, but I would have to treat it like a hiking trip. They're nowhere near where I live. But I always keep my eyes out for them.

[@Sadhu1]

Thank you for reminding me of the beauty of Portland. Am looking forward to the book.

[@MatthewOliphant]

6:53 ... horse cannery?

[@KyleFordkidzombie]

I had a momentary pause when I heard that as well lol

[@aquadragondavanin6745]

i'm thinking either a fish cannery on a street named horse, or a cannery of horse. it's meat.

[@wmanad8479]

​@@aquadragondavanin6745 aka Alpo...

[@teodelfuego]

@@MatthewOliphant Litton Cannery on the Williamette River south of Portland shipped horsemeat to Europe in late 19th, early 20th centuries

[@AlexandarHullRichter]

That ending reminds me of the coyote on a bus meme: *Photo of a coyote lying on 2 seats on a city bus* "Why is this coyote riding a bus?" First comment: "Well, it can't drive!"

[@jewellenhart8166]

Hope to buy your book.

[@TheKrissy1]

Thank you. As a child I would use stairs off NE 52nd Sandy Blvd to Wistaria Dr ♥️

[@edwardsmith7131]

Mystery is all fine and good but at the very least these should be Officially signed as Public stairways. She acknowledges that some current homeowner along these public right-of-ways don't like that the public is allowed through. These private land owners need to be reminded that public land, sidewalks, stairways and even roads are not their own personal possessions because they live next to them.

[@alexwyler4570]

Check out Laura Fosters other books. Laura Foster created amazing hikes through the city. Sadly, the Portland governance is giving away public right away to private people in the last 10 years.

[@babsbybend]

@6:55. Horse cannery. Did I hear that right?

[@OPB]

Yes, there was a horse cannery in Linnton. Canneries were used for horse slaughtering as horses were sometimes processed for meat, historically. search.worldcat.org/title/linnton-horse-cannery/oclc/53980637 -Ed Jahn

[@jerrygottlick4614]

@@babsbybend I was going to post the same exact comment. But first I was going to go back and listen to it again. Yes I guess I heard that right.

[@charlieollinger1679]

There's a great ambiance living in a house only accessible by stairs, until you need something delivered, or you need repairs to your property.

[@MrWiseinheart]

I think they have a car path to their house from the other side if remember correctly.

[@charlieollinger1679]

@@MrWiseinheart they might, but I do not

[@namijnebruhtra7683]

It's nice to see Portland and not see the ugly parts

[@jenn976]

Amazing, I had no idea. I’d like to read the book - has anyone seen it or read it?

[@oneshotdeliano6495]

Clearly part of the theory "Keep Portland Weird" I see now🤷

[@biosfearmag]

Berkeley, California has similar public stairways from the same era.

[@modtomodern]

Poor bear.

[@wmanad8479]

One way to stay fit :)

[@uhadme]

Modern Portland Cement invented in 1818, and didn't last very long, the recipe wasn't perfect at first, lessons were learned. Those stairways must have been made with Roman cement 1700 years ago... there is no other type.

[@AmyFerguson]

Did she say horse cannery?!?

[@russellzauner]

wait, did she say "horse cannery"? 6 min 50 sec in

[@OPB]

Yes, there was a horse cannery in Linnton. Canneries were used for horse slaughtering as horses were sometimes processed for meat, historically. search.worldcat.org/title/linnton-horse-cannery/oclc/53980637 -Ed Jahn

[@danp6897]

Wait... did you say horse cannery?

[@OPB]

Yes, there was a horse cannery in Linnton. Canneries were used for horse slaughtering as horses were sometimes processed for meat, historically. search.worldcat.org/title/linnton-horse-cannery/oclc/53980637 -Ed Jahn

[@thtyeyo]

I wish we could go back to having pedestrian neighborhoods....pedestrian culture...

[@joseph_the_human]

I would run up the 50+ stairs by swan island every day with my bicycle carried above my head and when I got to the very top I would flip off the driver's going by the adidas headquarters as I'm dripping sweat😅. Bike life PDX 🚲

[@GreeceUranusPutin]

NW 107th is a street that goes EAST from Hwy 30 to front avenue. Who researched this doc?

[@GreeceUranusPutin]

Did she say "horse cannery"?

[@maxmotors9497]

“Often the neighborhoods at the top are very different from the bottom “ Yeah they’re stinking rich at the top😂

[@g.m.robertson8700]

Sir,this world is not 15,000yra old ..Someday people will find that out😮.

[@zachs5719]

Really surprised that you didn't mention the historical research and books written about the stairs by Bill Hawkins - one of Portland's great architectural historians - or the books written years ago by the video's subject, Laura Foster! The stairs are indeed mapped and 107th is not the only stair street. There is one at NW 27th and Overton with a sign in plain view fifty yards from one of the locations where the video was filmed. OPB is a journalistic organization and it's fair to expect comprehensive fact-checking and research even when it comes to video features.

[@OPB]

Yes, this is an older story we pulled from our archives. If I remember correctly, there was a 'little red book' to portland stairs that had gone out of print at the time, and Laura was working on hers. Laura's book is now out and can be found here: www.powells.com/book/portland-stair-walks-explore-portland-oregons-public-stairways-9781621063452 -Ed Jahn

[@07wrxtr1]

Is she the one that did “portland hill walks” from around 10-15 years ago? Seems familiar

[@gedgar]

id read it, but maybe its just that im autistic

[@jeremynkelley]

They should NEVER put signs on them. No no no. Takes the magic away.

[@ThecultofCon]

Everybody was here shooting their bum ass music videos at Rocky Butte.

[@AuRowe]

Damage control. Portland is old-world, built like SF before europeans came. KZbinr my lunchbreak is the real portland historian

[@allouttabubblegum1984]

So Native Americans built San Francisco?

[@AuRowe]

@@allouttabubblegum1984 I don’t think that’s the conspiracy theory. I’d checkout one of his videos on the catecombs all over the world. Many think they’re just in Paris and Vatican.

[@MrWiseinheart]

​@@AuRowesame thing with Seattle right I saw some photos of structures and buildings before the city was built.

[@alexwyler4570]

Those stairs are not "historic". A LOT of people want to go back to walking. If you use the stairs, you can get yourself downtown from your single-home house within 30-60 minutes. And it's free. By the time you take your car, and you navigate traffic and you find a place to park, you realize it would have been much funner and much cheaper just to walk there. And after walking, you can indulge in the calories of the food truck's meal. And if you have a beer, you can walk up the stairs home after and not worry about a DWI. So no, the stairs are not historic. If you do the trails in Laura Fosters' Stairs book, you will see you can get yourself all over Portland without sharing your road with cars.

[@Datamining101]

Make sure not to step into the needles and garbage though.

[@MrWiseinheart]

Or get mugged or step in poop 💩.. My oh my how have the times changed.

[@Berry_Honest]

No I be be,, filth

[@classicalroach]

Stairs are racist. They should be replaced with escalators for equity.

[@DandLucy]

😂