PROCLAMATION
Whereas, the Oregon Territory’s Portland was originally known as The Clearing or “Stumptown,” indicating why there was a clearing; and
Whereas, Francis Pettygrove and Asa Lovejoy jointly held a land claim at “Stumptown;” and
Whereas, these two land-claim holders wanted to incorporate their developing township into a City; and
Whereas, Mr. Pettygrove wanted “Stumptown” named Portland after the City in Maine from whence he came; and
Whereas, Mr. Lovejoy wanted “Stumptown” named Boston after the City in Massachusetts from whence he came; and
Whereas, there was a coin toss in 1845 in the Territorial Capitol, Oregon City, to determine which would be the name of “Stumptown;” and
Whereas, the coin toss is believed to have occurred at the Ermatinger House, the last remaining Hudson’s Bay Company residential structure in the United States; and
Whereas, Mr. Pettygrove won two of the three coin tosses resulting in “Stumptown” being named Portland; and
Whereas, Main Street Oregon City reenacted the coin toss on the evening of July 26, 2014, the date of Oregon City’s annual First City Celebration; and
Whereas, an on-line poll determined that heads would be Portland; and
Whereas, Oregon State Representative Brent Barton, from Oregon City, Oregon City’s Mayor Doug Neeley and Commissioner Kathy Roth each flipped a penny; and
Whereas, the coin toss resulted in two heads and one tail.
Now, Therefore, I, Doug Neeley, Mayor of the City of Oregon City, do proclaim that “Stumptown” will continue to be named Portland until Oregon City has another reenactment of the Pettygrove-Lovejoy coin toss.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of August 2014.
______DOUG NEELEY, Mayor