Kenton Roots: Historical Bus Tour
The Kenton Neighborhood Association, in partnership with Vanport Mosaic, invites you on a free bus tour of Vanport and Kenton history.
This 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. The bus departs from and returns to the firehouse, where we'll gather for refreshments and conversation.
You will get off the bus at two stops. The first, at the Vanport marker at Delta Park. The second is the Expo Center. You will hear about the other places from your seat on the bus.
Back at the firehouse between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM we will be hosting a Vanport history exhibit and digital archive capture. It is free, and you do not need to sign up. Bring an old photo, letter, or object that means something to your family and has a connection to Vanport. We will scan it while you wait, and you keep the original. You can also record a short story with a Vanport Mosaic guide. These recordings are saved in Vanport Mosaic's community archive.
Everyone is welcome. Elders, long-time Kenton families who and new neighbors too.
What to know
Seats are limited. If they fill up, join the waitlist. We will call people in the order they signed up if a seat opens.
The tour takes about 3 hours. Please arrive by 9:15AM so that we can begin boarding. The bus leaves promptly at 9:30AM and returns by 1:00PM.
Tell us on the sign-up form if you need help with getting around, seating, or language.
You will walk a little and stand outside at both stops. Please dress for the weather.
Questions? Contact bustour@kentonpdx.org.
Kenton Roots 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.
Photo credit: The Denver Avenue entrance to Vanport, 1944. Photo: City of Portland Archives.