This is a great and interesting post, DEFINITELY need the Dude Ranch back.
Still waiting on the "international city" status, however.

Sarah Mirk, Thanks for bringing attention to the history of this place. Just a question- You quote someone referred to as Libby. Who is this person? I wasn't able to find a previous reference in your article.

Sorry Wendy, that's Portland Architecture critic Brian Libby.

Thanks Sarah. I asked because according to your article Mr. Libby asserts that "...You don’t save a building for its cultural history, but still we want to recognize that.” This actually is not true. Many different properties can be listed on the National Historic Register. Unfortunately in Portland the only things that ever seem to get listed are things associated with old dead white guys or architecture.

These may be important cultural resources to some, but Portland should step up and start nominating some things to the National Historic Register that matter to other people, like properties significant to our African American and other underrepresented communities or what about archaeological sites that document people living in these parts for 10,000 years or more. Instead we just blow that stuff off & keep hyping whitey. Many other communities have done a better job of considering a range of cultural resources including: Alexandria, VA, Pima County, AZ & even Vancouver, WA.

BTW properties that may be included on the National Historic Register include those:

A. That are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history; or

B. That are associated with the lives of significant persons in or past; or

C. That embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or

D. That have yielded or may be likely to yield, information important in history or prehistory.

http://www.nps.gov/nr/publications/bulleti…