Kenton Roots: A Free History Event
You’re invited to explore the stories and places that shaped North Portland. Presented by Kenton Neighborhood Association in partnership with Vanport Mosaic, Kenton Roots is a day of shared history.
When: Saturday, September 12th
Location: Historic Kenton Firehouse, 8105 N Brandon Ave
Cost: All activities are free and open to all ages
Left to right: Vanport, 1944; courtesy of City of Portland Archives. Vanport after the flood; courtesy of OHS Research Library.
Bus Tour: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
The bus tour follows the communities who made North Portland home and kept building their lives here through WWII, the 1948 Vanport flood, residential segregation, and urban renewal. Their resilience, organizing, and culture are still part of the neighborhood we’ll ride through.
You must reserve a seat in advance; space is limited. The bus is ADA accessible; please let us know during sign up if you need any accommodations or will be attending in a wheelchair. The bus departs from and returns to the firehouse for refreshments and conversation.
To get help with reservations, email kentonroots@kentonpd.org.
Vanport: A Story Lived. A Story Told exhibition. Courtesy of Vanport Mosaic.
Exhibit and Story Harvest: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Experience our Neighborhood History
Check out Vanport Mosaic's pop-up exhibit Vanport: A Story Lived. A Story Told. This exhibition features archival photographs and historical records, with personal testimonies of former residents interwoven throughout.
Join the Story Harvest
Long-time Kenton residents, Vanport survivors, and their descendants are invited to bring photographs, documents, and keepsakes to be scanned on-site and to sit for a short recorded interview about their memories.
Those stories become part of Vanport Mosaic's community archive, preserved for future generations. Vanport Mosaic collects and honors these stories year-round.
Drop-ins welcome; no registration required.
This event is presented by the Kenton Neighborhood Association in partnership with Vanport Mosaic, with funding support from the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods, the Office of Community & Civic Life, and the Port of Portland.
