Claims To Fame

Phillips Head Screw: Oregon Inventor J.P. Thompson designed a screw that he sold to Henry F. Phillips and was first used in 1937 Cadillacs.

The Simpsons: Portland native Matt Groening brought many of his hometown's idiosyncrasies into his popular animated TV series. In fact, The Simpson's address, 742 Evergreen Terrace, is also the address of the Groening's former Portland home.

Nike: Everyone in Oregon knows the story of the 1971 birth of the waffle sole from the waffle iron of University of Oregon legend and track coach Bill Bowerman. The rest of the world knows what came next: Coach Bowerman and Phil Knight made a shoe and soled their way into history.

Leatherman Tools: Tim Leatherman came up with his all-in-one gadget while on a trip in Europe in 1975. His car broke down during the tour, and he found himself in need of a screwdriver-knife-pliers-corkscrew tool. Five years later, his design was realized and soon became a hot mail-order item sent from his Portland home.

Portland, Oregon

What others are saying...

Popular Science voted Portland the "greenest city"

Life is good in our city, thanks to its seemingly endless supply of outdoor activities, cutting-edge restaurants, and vibrant environmental consciousness.

America's "Best Eating Destination"— The Food Network (April 2007)

No. 9, "Top 25 Fittest Cities in the United States"— Men's Fitness (February 2007)

One of the World's Top Travel Destinations for 2007— Frommer's Guidebooks/ Frommer's.com (January)

"Top 10 Cities for Independent Moviemakers"— Movie-Maker Magazine (Winter 2007)

"Top Dog in the USA" for mountain biking— Annual International Mountain Biking Association's "Report Card" (Winter 2007)

No. 10 Best Arts City in America— AmericanStyle (June 2006)

No. 2, "10 Greenest Cities in America"— MSN.com City Guides (2007)

"Most sustainable big cities in America"— SustainLane.com (June 2006)