Lapdances are a Consitutional Right for Strippers in Salem

Well maybe not yet in Multnomah County, but down in Salem and judge has weighed in his verdict on exactly how close is, well, it doesn't matter in his opinion... it is all free speech.

A Little History Behind Paddy's

Welcome to Paddy's. The building was originally called the Power Building when first constructed. Later in 1888 the 3rd and 4th floors were added as a hardware store. In 1940 the bar became known as the Harbor Bar, and was primarily a gay brothel for many years.

The Harbor bar came with a mezzanine, but in 1979, Richard Stuman, the owner, got rid of the mezzanine. The booths around the windows are actual church pews, but from which church is not known.

The bar inside has two fiberglass pillars that are replicas of the pillars outside of the bar. The bar wall hosts 400 types of liquors. Drinks and food here are guaranteed fresh – due to the fact that this old bar cannot contain a refrigerator large enough - all the better for the customer.

Some Posts from the Past

Another week out of town, another week without posts. Back in seven days. If there is anything about the bars in Portland that you would like to know, that you haven't found so far in my posts, let me know.

Here are some re-posts for new visitors to my blog:

--> Relieving yourself in old Portland

--> What Icons do you find around the city?

--> A shot of history

--> My first time

--> Drunk Driving

Uptown Billiards - The Bar Where John Wayne Drank

Pool halls still exist within Portland. But on the south end of NW 23rd there exists a small door with steps that lead to a somewhat hidden establishment unlike any other in the city. Perhaps not the most infamous pool hall to ever grace Portland, but absolutely one of the best modern pool halls in the town today.

The bar itself was built in Belgium, and sent around the Cape of South America to San Francisco before the turn of the 20th century.

In 1908 it was put on a stage coach and moved to Paisley, Oregon. Then in 1936 it was put on a flatbed truck and moved from Paisley to Redmond, Oregon. After a well-used existence, in 1994 (and much to the objection from the residents of Redmond) the bar's current owner loaded it onto a U-Haul and brought it to Portland.

In times past, it was customary for bartenders to throw their small change up on the bar at the end of the night. When the bar was detached from the wall in Redmond, people heard lots of clanking from within. They filled two containers with coins dating as far back as the 1910's, including steel pennies, mercury dimes and even a couple liberty half-dollars.

A resident of Redmond told the owner, before she hauled away the bar, that John Wayne once sat at this very bar. Apparently The Duke was filming a movie in central Oregon (most likely this would have been the famous 'Rooster Cogburn', in which Katherin Hepburn co-starred), and this bar was where he spent most of his off-hours passing the time.

Far from the Portland Crowd - but Still Shot Dead

A couple years ago I drove to the far desert in Southeastern Oregon, and as I have mentioned in a previous post I stayed in the very small town of Frenchglen. Across from the old hotel was this collapsed home.

At the time of the town's establishment, Portland was already a major city and port on the west coast. The gold rush has ended, but there was still much money to be made farming and ranching around the Portland area, shipping these goods out of Portland down to San Francisco or up to Seattle.

But apparently, with the aid of railroad development, some intrepid individuals found their way to the high desert to seek their fortune.

From this source:

"Frenchglen was named after Pete French and Dr. Hugh Glenn who was Pete French's father-in-law. The "P" Ranch was established in 1872 as the headquarters for French-Glenn Livestock Co. Pete French owned 150,000 acres at the base of the Steens Mountain, in what is now known as the Frenchglen Valley. He was unarmed when allegedly shot and killed by Ed Oliver on December 26, 1897 over a fencing dispute."

The Burning Bush of Eastern Oregon

A few days ago I posted a picture from the Oregon Coast. This evening I thought I would display a photo taken from a trip a while back to The Steens in southeastern Oregon. While I shot this with a small Canon P&S, 11 wild horses stood 50 yards behind me. I am sure they were critiquing as well.

We stayed at the hotel in Frenchglen. A small outpost about 30 minutes from the Steens mountains. I have lived in Oregon almost my entire life, and yet it took me 30 years to make it to the far desert of Oregon. It is a quiet and serene place, and I recommend everyone go there at least once.

A Silver Sunset off the Oregon Coast

As my new project, The Streets of Portland, begins to take shape it is time to dust off the lens cover... re-learn high-pass sharpening techniques...all the stuff I forgot in the past 6 months while I was busy marketing my book. This photo was taken in Neskowin, OR, a few weeks ago just after the sun had set past the horizon.