Chapter One identifies changes in values and behaviors as American society continued its transition from a producer to a consumer economy during the second half of the nineteenth century. It presents the rise of the amusement park industry in the United States as a consequence of this shift, while also recognizing European and American forms of leisure that influenced these businesses. Finally, Chapter One considers the cultural conflicts that arose within amusement parks during the Progressive Era and prepares readers to draw similarities between The Oaks and the industry as a whole.

The focus of Chapter Two is to characterize The Oaks in 1905, its first year of operation. To help establish the cultural climate of Portland, the chapter also addresses instances of conflict between social classes over events relating to the Lewis and Clark Exposition.

Chapter Three covers two especially trying years for Oaks managers, 1906 and 1907. For the first time, Oaks officials faced the challenge of making their park profitable in the absence of a steady stream of tourists. Poor management decisions in 1906 exacerbated the opinions of some citizens that the O.W.P. was not fit to provide morally responsible entertainment to Portlanders. The efforts of park managers to overcome this image in 1907 are also addressed.

Covering the years 1908 through 1913, Chapter Four establishes the resort’s popularity with Portland’s working class, particularly among young men and women who sought places to recreate together. The reactions of the city’s moral reformers, most notably Policewoman Lola Baldwin, are considered along with the park’s counter-reaction.

Chapter five overlaps Chapter four by three years, as a prominent figure in Portland’s entertainment business came to manage the facility in 1910. John F. Cordray’s leadership marked an important transition for the resort. Chapter five discusses Cordray’s ability to judge and adjust to the cultural climate of Portland and to gradually create a profitable park that catered to the amusement preferences of a wider cross-section of residents.

Finally, a concluding section presents an overview of my findings.

Back to "Credits."

Forward to "Further Reading."