Portland

Portland pride in the early 1980s.

This is Portland. It is a city of refreshing contrast and exciting variety with a mystique uniquely its own. Portland…proudly, our city. – Text, lower center.

This vibrant pictorial map makes a valiant attempt to distill Portland’s distinctive culture, economy, and natural beauty into one eye-catching image. Cartoon buildings, businesses, landmarks, and geographic features are presented in a style very reminiscent of the 1980s – bright colors and exaggerated elements. The Willamette River bisects the image in the foreground while the background is filled by the West Hills, ‘picturesque fluffy white clouds’, and Mt. St. Helens (a conveniently distant steam-ash plume).

The humor in this last example extends throughout the production. Larger-than-life caricatures present prominent businessmen, historic figures, and helpful residents engaged in a variety of topical conversations. Text along the bottom of the page describes many of Portland’s prominent events.

The map was designed, illustrated, and copy-written by David Scott Goodwin in 1983. Research by Jim Johnson. Published in Portland by American Adventures Press.