What was Portland, OR like in the 1980s? (Eugene, Beaverton: apartments, rent)

[Luckystrike1]

Like someone already wrote, Portland's 80's was grittier. But it had a lot more interesting stores, and I just liked it better - lots better. The music scene this decade was extremely vibrant. The popular jazz scene started to die as Portland became the 'blues mecca' of the west, and there were crowded discos and popular local bands.

As for the comments on crime... I never considered Portland 'safe', then or now (definitely not in the last year - I won't go there for anything!).

[CARas2020]

wow very interesting thread. If any of you have older pics from the 80's or earlier please post them. I have seen many very old pictures of Portland in some of the older buildings down around Burnside up to 5th or 6th.

I moved to Seattle in 1988 and down to Portland in about 1991. Because of my ex I really didn't get to know The Rose City for quite a while. We never went to the Rose Festival. I went downtown on my own when ships docked. It was pre 9-11 of course so the ships were right there at Waterfront Park.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by CARas2020

wow very interesting thread. If any of you have older pics from the 80's or earlier please post them. I have seen many very old pictures of Portland in some of the older buildings down around Burnside up to 5th or 6th.

I moved to Seattle in 1988 and down to Portland in about 1991. Because of my ex I really didn't get to know The Rose City for quite a while. We never went to the Rose Festival. I went downtown on my own when ships docked. It was pre 9-11 of course so the ships were right there at Waterfront Park.

When I was in college in the early 1980s the city had this program called "Adopt a Sailor" or "Dial a Sailor" where during the Rose Festival you could sign up as a family to host visiting sailors, take them to dinner, or whatever.

At my college, female students used this program with glee in order to "adopt" sailors and bring them back to the dorms for a night of partying. I remember during Rose Festival there were always random sailors running in and out of the women's dorms. Some poor sailors would get "adopted" by Aunt Minnie who might bring them to a church potluck. Other luckier ones would get "adopted" by a group of young female college students. Didn't quite seem fair! This was basically in the pre-AIDS era when sex was more casual. I think the Canadian sailors were the most sought after for some reason. There would usually be a few Canadian and Japanese navy ships at Rose Festival amidst all the American Navy ships.

This was before women sailors were common in the Navy so it was only the female students who could really take advantage.

Here is an Oregon article about those days lest you think I'm making this all up: https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/...good-time.html

[Metlakatla]

I was at school in Corvallis and my friends always seemed to want to go to this place in Portland on Friday or Saturday nights called Earthquake Ethels. I went a couple of times, but everyone there seemed to smoke and they had disco music of which I was not a fan. There was another place — Euphoria, I think — that had New Wave bands that were okay, but it was smoky too.

[CARas2020]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

When I was in college in the early 1980s the city had this program called "Adopt a Sailor" or "Dial a Sailor" where during the Rose Festival you could sign up as a family to host visiting sailors, take them to dinner, or whatever.

At my college, female students used this program with glee in order to "adopt" sailors and bring them back to the dorms for a night of partying. I remember during Rose Festival there were always random sailors running in and out of the women's dorms. Some poor sailors would get "adopted" by Aunt Minnie who might bring them to a church potluck. Other luckier ones would get "adopted" by a group of young female college students. Didn't quite seem fair! This was basically in the pre-AIDS era when sex was more casual. I think the Canadian sailors were the most sought after for some reason. There would usually be a few Canadian and Japanese navy ships at Rose Festival amidst all the American Navy ships.

This was before women sailors were common in the Navy so it was only the female students who could really take advantage.

Here is an Oregon article about those days lest you think I'm making this all up: https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/...good-time.html

I have heard of that Adopting a sailor. Wish they still did as my husband is a Navy vet. I would not mind cooking a nice meal for a service member.

My uncle came to Portland when he was in the Navy probably late 50's early 60's. Kind of wish he would come out to visit us and we can walk down to the seawall at Waterfront park.

I should have my cousin ask him if maybe he has any pictures.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

I only visited, but the streets and buildings were noticeably clean. I assumed that all the rain kept the dust washed off.


There were a few panhandlers, but not many. No one was sleeping in doorways and no one was pooping or urinating on the sidewalks.


Downtown Portland was chock full of tiny art galleries and interesting little stores. There was a major art supply store located there which brought in artists from all over the state to shop.


There were small craftsman bungalow houses for sale for $20,000-$30,000 in Portland. Not in the best neighborhood, but no neighborhood was terrible.


Car theft got the thief a traffic ticket. Gangs from Southern California moved in and ran businesses. Real businessmen, with no drive by shootings. They ran theft rings and drug rings. Portland was good for them because there wasn't much enforcement of the law. Portland was a lawful city and the police force and court system wasn't adequate to control gang activities.

[Nell Plotts]

Georga Pacific left Portland in 1982. Bing Shelton and I rode the bus to work and strategized what's next for Portland metro. Those conversations, and the real work by Bing, resulted in recruiting Intel and buttressing our technology education offerings. The Oregon Graduate Institue was a spin-off of Tech's professional programs (OGI is now closed). Oregon Technology Institute developed a campus in Wilsonville. Portland State developed graduate programs for a high tech workforce.

[shinestx]

I visited in 1997 (the same weekend Princess Diana died) and it was beautiful! It was clean and calm and somewhat friendly. People enjoyed the parks without fear of violence and it used to be ranked among the most livable cities in America. What happened?

[EliEverIsAHero]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

I only visited, but the streets and buildings were noticeably clean. I assumed that all the rain kept the dust washed off.

This has always, to me, been part of the appeal of Portland. You have these very clean buildings, with absolutely no grime or visible wear, just glistening in the sunlight. Between that and the amount of trees and flowers you see nearly everywhere, it makes you feel like you are in some kind of utopian vision of the future, in spite of the city's problems.

[pnwguy2]

80’s Portland. I remember a city at that time that had somewhat of a complex about Seattle. The mood was much more competitive with their northern rival, completely unlike today where the two cities are comfortable in their own skin. In other words, the competition seems to have ended and Portland has resorted to just being Portland.