Urging Preservation and Restoration of the Thompson Elk Fountain

The Downtown Portland Neighborhood Association (DNA) sent a letter (below) to Mayor Wheeler and the City Council on March 24, 2022, urging the immediate preservation and restoration of the Thompson Elk Fountain.

The Elk Fountain has been restored many times over the years and the time has come to make it whole once more. In 1974 the City designated the “David P Thompson Fountain” or “Elk Fountain” as a local Historic Landmark. It’s described as an elk statue on a granite pedestal, surrounded by a reservoir with four animal troughs served by water spouts in form of animal heads. The elk and pedestal are inextricably linked.

As the City is well aware, it is responsible to conserve historic landmarks. The Thompson Elk Fountain is historically significant because it was designated by the City as a historic landmark, and it is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

The public have tried tirelessly to engage with City staff and have been absolutely stonewalled in these efforts. Individuals and organizations that have reviewed and endorsed the findings in the letter below include Bill Hawkins, Aubrey Russell, Chet Orloff, the Architectural Heritage Center, Restore Oregon, Portland Coalition for Historic Resources, and many others. The public is desperate for a forum where the alternatives to demolition can be discussed.

The City must not only comply with state law and local preservation program requirements but also be transparent and up front about intentions with respect to the protection of historic resources. This should be accomplished in a public forum where the public is given a formal opportunity to be heard by a politically accountable decision-maker.