Metro Wannabe

The City Daily Photo blogs of NYC, Stockholm, Budapest, London and Paris share an unofficial theme day of "subways' the 15th of each month. Their underground systems are interesting and frequently lavished with artwork. Salem has no subway, but I thought I'd add this nice shot of Chemeketa St. as it passes through the underground parking structure beneath the Capitol Mall greenspace, just north of the Capitol. Two-level parking is on either side.

New York City Daily Blog – Stockholm by pixels – Budapest by Andrea Gerak – Fresh Eyes on London – Peter’s Paris.

A Walk in the Park

A cloudy day stroll past the Waite Fountain in Willson Park at the west end of the State Capitol grounds. The park was named for William Holden Willson who is known as the founder of Salem. According to the Salem Public Library, he filed the first plat of the city and held the original title to the land that now comprises Willamette University, the State Capitol, and downtown Salem.

The Library has some old photos of the park [here].

Take That!

Seen in the State Capitol.

Oregon is 150 years old

Saturday, February 14 at the State Capitol, the sesquicentennial celebration begins.

Our Liberty Bell

This reproduction of the Liberty Bell is one of 53 cast in France in 1950. It stands at the west entrance to the Capitol. Given to the government by seven metal companies, they served as the inspirational symbol of the U.S. savings bonds drive. After the bond drive was completed, the replicas were presented to each state, as well as Alaska and Hawaii (which were not yet states), Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

The dimensions and tone are identical to original Liberty Bell when it rang out in 1776.

Circuit Riders

Beautifully detailed statue on the east grounds of the State Capitol.

Walk of Flags

Dedicated in 2005, the circular Walk of Flags (funded through private donations) on the west of the state capitol, consists of a flag for each of the 50 states.



By each flagpole is a small copper plaque set in marble recognizing the sponsor.



Because the plaques are made of copper, a number of them have 'disappeared'-thirteen in one night. Metal theft is rampant here. Is metal theft a problem where you live?

Beaver Family

The delightful sculpture "The Capitol Beaver Family" was created by Kenneth M. Scott and sits in Willson Park just west of the state capitol under a beautiful Sequoia Redwood tree.

• "The American Beaver (Castor canadensis) was named Oregon state animal by the 1969 Legislature. Prized for its fur, the beaver was overtrapped by early settlers and eliminated from much of its original range. Through proper management and partial protection, the beaver has been reestablished in watercourses throughout the state and remains an important economic asset. The beaver has been referred to as “nature’s engineer,” and its dam-building activities are important to natural water flow and erosion control. Oregon is known as the “Beaver State” and Oregon State University’s athletic teams are called the “Beavers.”" [Oregon Blue Book]

Breyman Fountain

The Breyman Fountain, donated by Mr. and Mrs. Werner Breyman in 1904, is located at the far west end of Willson Park, west of the Capitol. It was used as a watering trough for horses. There originally was a decorative statue and street lamps on the top. According to the Salem Public Library, the statue has been gone for many decades, but the fountain is believed to be a memorial to the Spanish-American War.

You can see a photo at the above link of the original fountain with the statue, taken in 1905 and with the old Capitol which burned in 1935 in the background.

The fountain is now used as a planter, no longer as a water trough.

Charles Sprague Memorial Fountain

This fountain toward the north end of the Capitol Mall park, north of the Capitol also appears to be a good place for cooling off, though it looks like it could do some real damage to a human body.*

According to the Oregon State University library website, a national competition, made possible by a bequest from former Oregon Governor Charles Sprague (1939-43), was won by Weltzin Blix. His sculpture is 85' long by 20' high of welded bronze weighing 15,000 lbs. It was completed in 1980. Mr. Blix was a teacher of sculpture, ceramics and drawing at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon until his retirement in 2002.

*Edit: I was not aware of it at the time, but actually, this is a prohibited activity.

Oregon Administrative Rule 125-075-0005 Use of the Capitol Mall Area Parks and Grounds states:

• ..."(c) For the purposes of City Code 94.110, no bathing, wading or swimming shall be allowed in fountains, water displays or systems, with the exception of the Wall of Water Fountain on the Capitol Mall Plaza, in front of the Capitol Building, where wading is allowed; "...

Cooling Off

The geyser fountain known as the Wall of Water is a favorite of kids on a hot summer day. This is on Court Street across from the main entrance of the Capitol.

Hoopla 2008

This weekend, the street in front of the Oregon State Capitol was closed off for the 10th annual Salem Hoopla. From their website, "Hoopla is not only Oregon's largest and premier 3-on-3 basketball event, we also are an event committed to bettering our community. Beyond the staging of one of Oregon's most prestigious family-friendly sporting events, Hoopla generates thousands of dollars for local charities annually. Most of these funds are given to organizations that focus on youth athletic or activity programs in the Salem-Keizer area. To date, Hoopla has generated more than $135,000 for worthy nonprofit groups."

Salem Hoopla website

And Tim King of Salem-News.com has posted a video on You-Tube, includes some good interviews.

Veterans

At any gathering honoring their comrades, local veterans can always be depended upon to show up, especially Vietnam vets on their 'hogs'. The occasion this day was to honor the fallen at the Afghan-Iraq Memorial.

Five More Names

A ceremony Friday honored Oregonians who have died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unfortunately five names have been added to the 99 already on the granite wall of the Afghan-Iraqi Freedom Memorial, located north of the Oregon Dept. of Veterans Affairs building on Summer Street NE along with memorials of other wars.

Fountain

Geyser fountain in front of the State Capitol. Kids make great use of these in the summer heat.

This Old House

Worthington House

In 1990, the state government decided to relocate, rather than demolish, several houses to make way for the new North Mall Office Building complex, just south of D Street and between Summer and Winter streets. The houses were then restored and are now used as office buildings.

Sorry...

I had forgotten that one shouldn't walk the Capital grounds without a few peanuts in your pocket. The squirrels have trained people well. When they see you approaching, they scamper toward you and wait, and will even take a peanut right from your hand. Sorry to disappoint this little cutie; I will remember to fill my pockets next time.

Playground Sculpture

"A Parade of Animals" on the Capitol grounds. 1991 by Peter Helzer.

Cherry Blossom Time

So beautiful, I've just got to post one more.

Crazy Weather

Crazy weather. For a couple days now, we have had snow flurries, sunshine, hail, sunshine, rain, snow flurries -- all during Spring Break. Two inches of snow graced the beaches this morning! I'm not sure what kind of tree this is, but I believe it is relatively old. It stands behind the former Governor's Residence on the North Mall State Offices complex.

Edit**Ruth K. tells me it is a Magnolia.**