On Oct. 8, 2021, the National Park Service (NPS) awarded the City of Portland an Underrepresented Community Grant to support the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability’s ongoing work documenting and protecting culturally important historic resources. The NPS oversees the National Register of Historic Places program, a federal historic resource designation that has recently expanded to include a handful of Portland’s African American historic sites. The new $50,000 grant award will support the development of a historic context statement, historic resource survey, and one or more National Register Landmark nominations for sites associated with Portland’s LGBTQ+ histories.
Portland’s project is one of 17 projects that were awarded 2021 Underrepresented Community Grants, an NPS program intended to diversify nominations submitted to the National Register of Historic Places.
“Through these grants to our state, Tribal, and Certified Local Government partners,” said NPS Deputy Director Shawn Benge, “the National Register will continue to expand to help tell our nation’s diverse history.”
Darcelle XV Showplace paved the way
Among the many histories underrepresented — and in some cases excluded altogether — from both the City and NPS lists of historic places, LGBTQ+ histories have only recently begun to be considered for landmark designation. The 2020 listing of the Darcelle XV Showplace in the National Register — a first for Portland and Oregon — generated public interest and elevated the urgency for prioritizing the documentation and protection of important places associated with lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, and other histories currently absent from the City’s Historic Resources Inventory. The Darcelle XV National Register Landmark nomination was the culmination of a broad community effort, championed by Don Horn of Triangle Productions, and served as a proof-of-concept for the City’s application for NPS Underrepresented Community Grant funding.
The grant-funded project to document Portland’s LGBTQ+ historic places will be informed by similar historic preservation efforts in cities such as San Francisco and New York City. To ensure the success of Portland’s project, City staff will engage professional and volunteer experts to research culturally specific histories and document a range of associated buildings and places to support potential future landmarking. The project is expected to launch in early 2022 and be completed by fall 2023.
Seeking stories and partnerships
Individuals interested in the project — especially those with lived experiences related to Portland’s LGBTQ+ histories — are encouraged to contact the Historic Resources Program to inquire about participation in the project. Please contact Project Manager Brandon Spencer-Hartle by email at historic.resources@portlandoregon.gov.