Bootblacks and Ice Cream

Along with the buildings on the midway that sheltered the concessions, The Oaks had a Postal Telegraph office, a bootblack establishment, an ice cream parlor, a popularly-priced restaurant, and numerous booths that sold grape juice and soda water. Many of these – as well as many of the structures on the midway – were covered with more than 50,000 electric lights. When lit along with the elaborate fountain light fixtures that the railway purchased from the Lewis and Clark Exposition, the park was said to have looked like a “fairyland” at night. With the safety and comfort of its patrons in mind, the park also housed a “hospital,” where first aid was administered, and a “jail,” where Oaks police officers detained unruly patrons.

Dancing Pavilion

When The Oaks opened in 1905, the Oregonian boasted that the dancing pavilion was “surely bigger than any in town.” Up to three hundred couples could dance there in comfort. The railway built the pavilion as an open-air structure with a floor that was unobstructed from posts and kept in good condition. Dancers benefited from the views and breezes that the Willamette River provided. Oaks management probably enclosed the structure within ten years, and in 1914 novel electric fans kept dancers refreshed. A bandstand protruded from the building, providing enough room for a small band to play.

Skating Rink

When it opened in 1906, managers called the Oaks rink, “the largest and most complete skating rink in the world.” With its band music, young adult clientele, and special events like masquerade parties, patrons came to the rink for the same reasons they came to the dancehall. Moral reformers were drawn there too. Nevertheless, the mammoth rink remained in operation – and hugely popular – throughout the Progressive Era. In fact, during World War I the rink was a magnet for uniformed soldiers, who were admitted free of charge. Kids enjoyed the rink’s “healthful exercise” also – especially when the attraction featured Lady Livingston, the skating circus bear.

Bathing Pavilion

Swimming became an increasingly popular pastime in Progressive-era Portland – especially among young women – thanks in part to the bathhouse at The Oaks. A tank about six feet deep hung from floats in the Willamette River and provided a safe area to swim. Male and female dressing rooms surrounded the swimming area on three sides. With river water constantly flowing through the wooden slats of the swimming tank, the water was always “fresh.” This was a point that park managers liked to emphasize during a time when progressive reformers complained about the hygiene of other bathhouses that did not frequently circulate their water supply. Of course, this advertising technique became less effective as the 1920’s progressed and the public became more aware of pollution in the Willamette River.

Bandstand and Auditorium

During the park’s earliest years, both the outdoor bandstand and the indoor auditorium – once called the Gaiety Theater - presented theater and band presentations. The bandstand came to the park in 1906 from the closed Lewis and Clark Exposition grounds and had the benefit of being able to handle large crowds on hot days. The auditorium, which originally cost $30,000 to build, had impressive acoustics and sheltered patrons from the occasional rain shower. In 1914 Manager John F. Cordray spent $7,000 to renovate the auditorium. By removing the back and side walls and attaching circus awning, he created a space that seated 6,000 people. With no further need for an outdoor bandstand, Cordray converted the structure into an elaborate picnic gazebo.

Tavern

A prominent architectural feature of the resort, the Oaks Tavern always drew a crowd, even if it did not always sell alcohol. Those that did not come for the five-cent Weinhard’s beer came for an upscale dining experience by “expert caterers.” The building was “charmingly situated on the Willamette,” and musical groups like the Del Hoyo Mexican Orchestra added to its ambiance. In a society that was trying to decide where it stood on prohibition, the establishment flip-flopped between being a “wet” pub and a “dry” restaurant. When state-wide prohibition was enforced in 1916, the bar converted into an English Inn and the focus was once again on treating patrons to a culinary experience.

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