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Label:
Park
This page contains information about Jamison Square in Portland, Oregon's Pearl District neighborhood.
Update: Interactive fountain shut off
The interactive water fountain at Jamison Square is temporarily shut off for emergency repairs. We will remove this message once the fountain has been turned back on.
We appreciate your patience as our staff work to resolve this issue and restore services as quickly as possible.
Update, July 15, 2026: Park Closure Hour Change
Beginning August 3, 2026, Jamison Square and Tanner Springs Park will close daily at 10pm, instead of 12am.
The change supports park operations, maintenance, stewardship, and overnight park management needs.
To help park users prepare for the new hours, Portland Parks & Recreation has installed temporary notification signs in the park. Park Rangers are informing community members of the change.
Permanent park-hour signs will be installed on August 3, when the new closure hours take effect.
Description
Jamison Square is a small but mighty park in the Pearl District, right in Downtown Portland. At just under an acre, it may be compact, but it's a popular place for people to hang out, relax, and cool off on warm days.
The park is best known for its interactive fountain. Water spills over stone steps, spreads out into a shallow pool, then drains and repeats throughout the day. In the summer, it becomes a busy, family-friendly spot where kids splash and play while adults sit nearby and watch or catch up with friends. The fountain is open seasonally, usually from late spring through early fall.
Jamison Square also includes a plaza, grassy areas for sitting or picnicking, and an accessible restroom. Public art is part of what makes this park unique. You'll see tall, colorful sculptures along the street edges and a red granite bear named Rico Pasado, which adds a fun and memorable touch.
The park is named after William Jamison, an art dealer, queer activist, and early supporter of the Pearl District. He helped grow the neighborhood's arts scene and played a role in shaping the creative community that still defines the area today.
Even though it's surrounded by busy streets, homes, and shops, the park offers a simple place to take a break. You can sit on the grass, enjoy the open space, or watch the activity around the fountain.
Jamison Square was developed in 2000 as part of a plan to bring more open space to the Pearl District. It was the first of several parks built in the neighborhood. Today, it continues to be a welcoming spot where people come together to play, rest, and enjoy being outside.
Map
Year acquired
2000
Size in acres
0.94
History
From the beginning of the planning efforts for the Pearl District in the early 1990s, the creation of a network of open spaces was an important goal of both the neighborhood and the City. In 1998, a conceptual plan for the new parks and open spaces was proposed by the Tanner Creek & Water Feature Steering Committee and approved by City Council. Those recommendations served as a point of departure for planning the district's parks.
In June 1999, Peter Walker & Partners, a landscape architecture firm, was retained to provide concepts for three new parks between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues in the River District. They developed and refined plans for the parks with input from a Project Steering Committee and two public workshops. The final plan is characterized by a series of recurring elements that strengthen the connection between each of the three parks.
Located between NW Johnson and Kearney, Jamison Square was the first to be developed. It is named in honor of William Jamison, whose presence was pivotal in the development of the River District. He was an exceptional person in his ability to influence and connect with a wide variety of people. His personal magnetism, in addition to the size and scope of his art gallery, drew many people into the Pearl District.
The focal point of the park is a fountain which simulates a shallow tidal pool. Water cascades from stone joints into low pools as the fountain continuously recirculates treated water with energy-efficient pumps and motors. Along the edge of the park, are four 30-foot-tall sculptures covering the streetcar catenary poles; the Tikitotemoniki Totems, also known as Tiki Totems, were created by artist Kenny Scharf. Another art installation in the park is Contact II, the 1972 metal sculpture by Alexander Liberman that was donated to the City of Portland in 2002 by Ed Cauduro in memory of his parents.
In 2006 artist Mauricio Saldaña, commissioned by the Portland Pearl Rotary Club, created a red granite sculpture modeled after a brown bear. The bear's name is Rico Pasado, meaning "rich past," in reference to the history of the bears that once roamed this area as well as the Rotary International Centennial. This is why the sculpture is also referred to as the Centennial Bear.
Accessibility notes
Includes accessible restroom, interactive fountain, plaza, and public art.