"The Journal in head and heart will stand for the people, be truly Democratic and free from political entanglements and machinations, believing in the principles that promise the greatest good to the greatest number..."

C.S. Jackson editorial, Oregon Daily Journal ~ July 23, 1902

With these words, Charles Samuel Jackson launched the inaugural edition of the newly named Oregon Daily Journal, a publication that he founded more than a century ago. Today, the Jackson Tower, built in 1912 and referred to for much of its existence as simply “the Journal Building,” is a bustling center for both retail and business and, appropriately, a lasting tribute to its beloved namesake. Located in the heart of downtown Portland, the Tower served for almost four decades as headquarters for a newspaper that, until it folded in 1982, enjoyed a reputation for journalistic excellence and integrity, not only within the borders of its metropolitan home and across the state of Oregon but, perhaps most notably, throughout the nation.

By 1948, as its reader circulation increased, Jackson recognized that the Journal was outgrowing its space on the lively corner at SW Broadway and Yamhill and, out of necessity, relocated to a much larger venue at the site of the current Tom McCall Waterfront Park. It was not until 1970 that the B & D Development Company would renovate the structure, restoring much of its original physical beauty and retrofitting its interior offices to a more progressive standard and code. By 1996, still referred to as the Oregon Journal Building, the building received a well-deserved place of distinction on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Jackson Tower lends a striking presence to the spectacular Portland skyline. It is a breathtaking example of the architectural style known as Beaux Arts, a blend of Italian and French Neo-Classicism, characteristic of the American Renaissance period that was popular from the late 1800’s to the early 1920’s. The twelve-story, steel-framed structure stands 160 feet tall and is unique for both its exterior—a fireproof sheath of glazed terra cotta—and its impressive centerpiece—the larger than life clock tower that, in earlier years, would chime every quarter hour as a musical cue to the thousands of passersby who strolled beneath its shadow each day. Three Romanesque archways act as doorways on the Broadway side of the building and, for so many years, provided the entryway to the two-story basement that housed the “nerve center” of the Oregon Journal—the pressroom that, at one time, produced over 70,000 newspapers per hour.

Of course, one cannot describe the Jackson Tower without mentioning its luminous outline. Aglow with the radiance of 1,800 light bulbs, the Tower comes alive after dark, with its clock faces, each 12.5 feet in diameter, serving as nightlights to the adjacent Pioneer Courthouse Square (“Portland’s Living Room”). These beacons of light, an element of the original design by sibling architects, James and Merrit Reid, went dark during World War II as a means to conserve energy and stayed dormant until the building’s later renovation. Currently, the lights continue to shine as a fitting tribute to C.S. “Sam” Jackson who, alongside his wife Maria, was a humanitarian, a philanthropist and a champion of journalistic fairness and truth—an independent thinker who believed in illuminating the minds and hearts of his readers and in promoting the health, welfare and educational needs of the citizens of Oregon and, most especially, of his beloved Portland.

May his light shine brightly for generations to come...

— Sue Harris, Writer

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Features of the Portland Ornament

24-karat gold-plated with enamel silkscreen Comes packaged in decorative red box with gold foil seal Hangs on a red ribbon and lays on red peachboard Personalized story of the depicted site, detailing the history of the landmark Made in the U.S.A.

Betty Gimarelli has designed and produced the 24-karat gold plated Portland Ornament™ since 1989, and the Seattle Ornament™ since 1994. Each year she selects a different scenic view of her beloved city. Today her ornaments are collected by aficionados world wide.

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