Portland was founded in 1845. It was named for Portland, Maine. The city grew rapidly after 1850, when it served as a supply point for the California gold fields. Growth continued with the arrival of the railroad in 1883 and the Alaska gold rush of 1897-1900. In 1905 the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition was held in Portland. Urban sprawl was sharply resisted in Portland, because a line was drawn around the metropolitan area and open space outside it was preserved.
Nowadays, Portland is the largest city in Oregon. It is an important port of entry to the United States and a leading financial and industrial center. The city's deepwater port has many shipyards and international trade companies. Manufactures include lumber, wood products, paper, metals, machinery, computer hardware and software, food items, textiles, clothing and furniture. The international airport and a U.S. air force base are not far from town.
There are several interesting museums of art, science and industry and advertising in Portland, as well as a planetarium, a forestry center, a zoo, Japanese and classical Chinese gardens, a symphony orchestra and a ballet company. Portland is the seat of the University of Portland, Concordia College, Lewis and Clark College, Reed College, Warner Pacific College, Portland State University, several theological schools, the Oregon Graduate Center and the Oregon Health Sciences University. The state historical society is also based in the city. Important annual events include the rose festival and the Pacific International Livestock Exposition and Rodeo. Portland is home to the Trail Blazers (National Basketball Association). The area around the city is noted for its beautiful scenery and the Columbia River Gorge, Mount Hood and Mount Saint Helens are all in the vicinity.
There are many hotels and restaurants in Portland. The city is in the northwest of Oregon, on the Willamette River near its junction with the Columbia River. Portland is 70 km north of Salem and 3800 km west of Washington D.C.
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