Park Superintendent - and later Oaks owner and manager - Edward H. Bollinger himself emigrated from Switzerland as a child.

Some of these groups commonly gathered at The Oaks for community picnics. Oaks advertisements mention cultural picnics hosted by - among others - German, Swiss, Norwegian, and Japanese groups. Sometimes these parties put on dances, concerts, or other cultural demonstrations for Oaks audiences.

The family vaudeville and variety performances at The Oaks clearly used ethnic humor to get laughs from crowds. Steeped in blatant stereotypes, many of the jokes would likely disturb modern audiences - however, such comedy was an expected part of the show during the Progressive Era.

Some historians have argued that by providing an opportunity for some ethnic groups to laugh at other groups, or sometimes even themselves, vaudeville acts contributed to immigrant groups’ assimilation to American culture.

Few would argue that minstrel shows and white performers in blackface had the same effect on black Americans. Blacks were not excluded from The Oaks, as was common in different amusement parks in the country. However, commercial stereotypes that characterized blacks in a less-than-respectful manner were common. Likewise, some Oaks attractions featured racist depictions of American Indians.

If large-scale instances of ethnic conflict occurred at The Oaks, it was not reflected in the city’s newspapers. However, a few examples hint that the ethnic mixing that took place at the park was not always welcome.

One Oregonian article illustrated the uneasiness with which Portlanders reacted to the discovery of two white girls who were caught rolling cigarettes with a black performer at the resort. Article

Similarly, a mother called Policewoman Lola Baldwin in 1912, concerned about the bad influence that a pair of Jewish girls were having on her daughter. The girls became friends when they had met at The Oaks.

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