Portland is an original place, and we have a lot of things that are uniquely Portland. Here are 8 things that come from Portland that you may not have known about.
- Bob’s Red Mill
Emilydickensonridesabmx / Flickr This local producer of natural, organic, and gluten-free milled grains got its start in the suburb of Milwaukee and has been going strong since 1978.
- Purdy Paintbrushes
Keith Williamson / Flickr The paintbrush company began in 1925 in the Portland garage of Desmond Purdy, and has grown into a large corporation. Now headquartered in Ohio, the company is a leader in quality paint brushes.
- Wikipedia
Octavio Isaac Rojas Orduña / Flickr Wikipedia’s founder, Ward Cunningham, is a Portlander and one of the best examples of our DIY culture.
- Simpsons
Chupacabra Viranesque / Flickr Simpsons creator Matt Groening was born and raised in Portland and many of his characters names are inspired by the streets of Portland.
- Computer Mouse
Chen Fong Liew / Flickr Portlander Douglas Engelbart invented the first computer mouse in 1964.
- Uhaul
Clyde Bentley / Flickr After recognizing a need for a convenient moving trailer after a difficult move in 1937 from Los Angeles to Portland, Sam and Anna Mary Shoen developed Uhaul. Its first retail location was in Portland in 1945, and by 1949 it was possible to rent a one-way trailer from the company throughout most of the United States and Canada.
- The Voice of Warner Brothers Cartoons
Yvette / Flickr Known as the most famous voice actor in American cinema, Portland native Mel Blanc lent his voice to some of the most recognizable cartoon characters of all time: Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and Woody Woodpecker, to name a few.
- Chainsaw Chain
steews4 / Flickr While the chainsaw was invented nearly a century before, in 1947 logger and inventor Joseph Buford Cox created a new chainsaw chain that greatly improved efficiency and safety, and is still widely in use today. Duplicating the action of a timber-beetle larva chewing through timber, he created the Cox Chipper Chain, which propelled his business to over $1 million in sales in 1951.
Do you know of any other things that have Portland beginnings? Share below!
Emilydickensonridesabmx / Flickr
This local producer of natural, organic, and gluten-free milled grains got its start in the suburb of Milwaukee and has been going strong since 1978.
Keith Williamson / Flickr
The paintbrush company began in 1925 in the Portland garage of Desmond Purdy, and has grown into a large corporation. Now headquartered in Ohio, the company is a leader in quality paint brushes.
Octavio Isaac Rojas Orduña / Flickr
Wikipedia’s founder, Ward Cunningham, is a Portlander and one of the best examples of our DIY culture.
Chupacabra Viranesque / Flickr
Simpsons creator Matt Groening was born and raised in Portland and many of his characters names are inspired by the streets of Portland.
Chen Fong Liew / Flickr
Portlander Douglas Engelbart invented the first computer mouse in 1964.
Clyde Bentley / Flickr
After recognizing a need for a convenient moving trailer after a difficult move in 1937 from Los Angeles to Portland, Sam and Anna Mary Shoen developed Uhaul. Its first retail location was in Portland in 1945, and by 1949 it was possible to rent a one-way trailer from the company throughout most of the United States and Canada.
Yvette / Flickr
Known as the most famous voice actor in American cinema, Portland native Mel Blanc lent his voice to some of the most recognizable cartoon characters of all time: Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and Woody Woodpecker, to name a few.
steews4 / Flickr
While the chainsaw was invented nearly a century before, in 1947 logger and inventor Joseph Buford Cox created a new chainsaw chain that greatly improved efficiency and safety, and is still widely in use today. Duplicating the action of a timber-beetle larva chewing through timber, he created the Cox Chipper Chain, which propelled his business to over $1 million in sales in 1951.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
