Jamison Square

Activity Overview

Jamison Square can be found in Portland's downtown Pearl District and was the first park to be built in the neighborhood. This park is relatively new having only been built around the turn of the Millennium. The park and its impressive fountain were a big investment for the city costing $3.6 million to build and are dedicated to William Jamison a local artist and gallery owner. This is a nice place to grab an ice cream, relax and let the kids play.

Things to Do

• This park is very popular with families with kids, particularly in the summer. It is home to a large fountain which is totally child friendly. This fountain is designed to copy the movements of a shallow tidal pool. The water falls from stone joints into low pools which babies and toddlers are allowed to splash around in. The water is all perfectly clean thanks to an ingenious re-circulating system to ensure even if one kid has an accident it won't dirty things up for everyone else.
• There are a number of art installations in the park which can be enjoyed, in keeping with the legacy of William Jamison's gallery. The Tikitotemoniki Totem Poles are 4 sculptures each reaching 30 feet high that run along the edge of the park. Contact II, a metal sculpture by Alexander Liberman is another installation that can be seen within the park.

Jamison Square Insider Tips

• If you want ice cream to help cool off on a hot summer's day at the park you should try the artisanal ice creams on offer at Cool Moon Ice Cream just beside the park. This isn't just any regular run of the mill ice cream parlor. Cool Moon make all their unique flavors by hand meaning you should be in for something a bit more interesting than the usual offerings.
• The Jamison Square is on the Portland Streetcar Line and as such is very easy to get to.