The green heart of Portland's downtown is getting some shiny new bling, as local history buffs prep for a ceremonial nod to the past with the installation of two bronze plaques in the South Park Blocks. The plaques, according to the Portland Parks & Recreation announcement, will celebrate the area's recent induction into the National Register of Historic Places. They'll be unveiled at Shemanski Park at 11 a.m. on May 7, for all those walkers, picnickers, and history nuts to peruse.

The plaques are not just there to look pretty, they're a nod to the elbow grease of the Portland Downtown Neighborhood Association and the community volunteers who took on the heavy lifting to get these blocks historically recognized. The register itself is a big deal maintained by the U.S. National Park Service, and thanks to these folks, the South Park Blocks have officially been on their list since 2022.

These blocks weren't just any old patch of grass, back in 1852, they were Portland's first official public space, and since then, they've grown into a 12-block stretch of urban oasis. It's a patchwork quilt of green, that stitches downtown's Cultural and University Districts together, pretty handy for those looking to swap a library for a gallery.

It was 1869 when the City of Portland decided to jazz up the place with European flavor, bringing in horticulturalist Louis Pfunder to plan out those trees you see today, in five axial rows or allées, if you want to get fancy. Fast forward to today, and the park is still one of Portland's stars, a slice of historic pie that everyone wants a piece of. According to Portland Parks & Recreation, it's one of "Portland's most distinctive, valued, and significant historic open spaces—a place for respite and enjoyment of all."

So when you're hitting the downtown streets, and you find yourself between SW Park Avenue and SW Ninth Avenue, take a moment to check out these newly minted markers of the past. They may not be ancient relics, but they tell a story of a community's dedication to preserving a piece of Portland's soul.