"The City of Roses"

 

Most residents of Portland, if asked, would name the rose as the Portland city flower, consider "The City of Roses" as an official city name, and would be surprised to know that no City Council Resolution has ever been passed to make it so.

 

Charles Paul Keyser (Portland Parks Superintendent 1917-1950) stated that Portland was "christened the City of Roses by visitors to an Episcopal Church convention which was held in the city in 1888 when the Portland Rose Society was formed. In 1889 Portland's first annual Rose Show was held and from 1904 through 1906 the Portland Rose Society sponsored a Fiesta along with its annual rose show.

 

In a 1905 address at the Lewis and Clark Exposition, Mayor Harry Lane suggested that Portland needed a "festival of roses." Two years later, in 1907, the first Rose Festival was held.

 

It seems that the City Council believes that the title "City of Roses" is well enough established not to need its own Resolution. The Resolutions establishing both the City Bird (Great Blue Heron) and the City Song (Portlandia) begin with the words: "WHEREAS, Portland, the City of Roses …."