The City of Portland has made the unconscionable decision to remove 243 light poles and luminaires from parks around Portland, with no public process. A majority of these lights can be considered historic – even identified on the National Register of Historic Places. From Mount Tabor Park alone, 81 of this count will be removed, but the park only has 86 total of these historic lights. The light poles date back to 1911 and the original Olmsted Brothers plan for Mount Tabor Park. The polygonal lantern-style shades – reminiscent of gaslights – were installed in 1924, replacing the original single globes atop the same concrete poles. Public project information signs about the City's ostensible "Light Pole Safety Project" were altered by angry neighbors to read: "Historical Light Pole Permanent Removal Project". I have assembled this collection of Mt Tabor Park historic lighting to celebrate and remember the park’s beloved features – the gaslights!
https://montavilla.net/tag/mt-tabor-park/
https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2023/02/lights-out-portland-to-removed-hundreds-of-unsound-lampposts-from-popular-parks.html
https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2023/02/22/243-light-poles-across-12-city-parks-will-soon-vanish/?mc_cid=b5738c8477&mc_eid=6e4c39d97a
https://www.portland.gov/parks/construction/light-pole-safety-project