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Reposted by Memorial Coliseum Book

Michael Orr @michael-orr.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

good/fun news: my Coliseum book is now on the Powell’s site for pre-order (comes out April 14) www.powells.com/book/buildin...

powells.com

Building Portlands Memorial Coliseum A Mid Century Political Firestorm | Powell's Books

The Legendary Independent Bookstore

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

back at it, presentation edition looking forward to sharing some things you may not know about the Coliseum’s site selection process!

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

coming soon, via @arcadiapublishing.bsky.social, Building Portland’s Memorial Coliseum: a Mid-Century Political Firestorm due out April 14

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

I’ve reviewed proofs and the book is headed to the printer! Building Portland’s Memorial Coliseum: a Mid-Century Political Firestorm is due out to the public in April. Cover sneak peak coming next month…

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

research began twelve years ago this week! and there’s a hint of what’s next if you pay close attention.

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

that’s all, folks! back to the publisher it goes, see you in April

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

copy edits are in, I’m working on it wall-to-wall this weekend so we can get it out in the world in April

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

deduced the existence of a city attorney opinion that changed the course of Memorial Coliseum’s location trajectory. asked city attorney’s office for it and they denied it existed. only on second asking did they admit it exists and then shared it. pretty sure no one’s seen it since issued in 1955.

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Reposted by Memorial Coliseum Book

Brian Libby @brianlibby.bsky.social · 14/12/2025

What a wonderful moment tonight. The City of Portland hosted a celebration commemorating Memorial Coliseum's restoration. We first began fighting demolition plans in 2009, and spent 15 years campaigning for this SOM-designed midcentury modern gem to be restored. So grateful to reach this moment.

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

I was really good at reading this with my eyes closed

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

nine months ago as we started editing my book on Memorial Coliseum. it’ll be out four months from now…

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

happy Thanksgiving! the Coliseum on Wednesday November 26, 2025

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

Building Portland’s Memorial Coliseum: a Mid-Century Political Firestorm will be published by @arcadiapublishing.bsky.social April 14, 2026! Can’t wait to have this out in the world. I’ve been working on it since January 2014!

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

it’s official, Building Portland’s Memorial Coliseum: a Mid-Century Political Firestorm is in the production schedule at @arcadiapublishing.bsky.social! don’t have a specific date yet but expecting spring 2026. stay tuned

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

Housing Act of ‘49. Anyway, it’s a super interesting time in politics and housing shit in cities, the west, Portland specifically, and relative to sports in the west in the mid-late 50s. So many intersecting lines.

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

Yep, that’s exactly right. I don’t know if the money would’ve passed if they’d specified the bridge site, as almost no one had ever mentioned it before 1954 (other than a *very* short lived 1953 article in the papers). But they sure were happy to offer the site up after the ‘54 amendment to the

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 05/10/2025

they tried! and I guess I should’ve written “so-called.” I did in the book

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 05/10/2025

Seventy (70) years ago today Portland’s Exposition-Recreation Commission selected Delta Park as the site for what we now know as Memorial Coliseum. My book on the site selection process will be out in the spring. Until then, here’s a primer I wrote back in 2017. mikeaorr.medium.com/portland-mem...

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

never know what you’ll find at an archive this is from a city councilman’s house party in 1953

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 08/09/2025

In October 1955, three of these men prevented Memorial Coliseum from being constructed at Delta Park: Councilmen Nate Boody (second left), Bill Bowes (second right), and Stanley Earl (right).

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 08/09/2025

when the word ‘only’ cost Portlanders a year and a location west of the Willamette River

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Long story short, this project was bungled and mismanaged from the start. Poor planning and confusing/incomplete wording of ballot measures cost the city years, to say nothing of regional prestige and clout.

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Also worth noting, the Coliseum was a city project and was not in any way affiliated with federal Urban Renewal projects that followed. Doesn’t mean they didn’t try to tie the ER Center to UR, especially in 1956 when it was to be located next to the Auditorium. But bc reasons, it never happened.

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

The fact that the building ended up at the bridge site four years later (I mean the decision, obv didn’t open til ‘60) is pretty weird and was very unlikely. Boody’s ‘53 plan was not well received at the time and basically wasn’t considered again for a few years.

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

Help Put Portland Ahead! via Portland City Archive, 1954 AD/22455

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Memorial Coliseum Book @memcoliseumbook.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

Oregon Journal and Oregonian July 16, 1953. The first mention of an arena complex at the bridge site. Sneaky release of a plan by Councilman Nate Boody

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