Dawson Park (Portland, Oregon)

Dawson Park
Signage for the park in 2013
Location	N Stanton St. and Williams Ave. Portland, Oregon
Coordinates	45°32′39″N 122°40′03″W / 45.54416667°N 122.66750000°W / 45.54416667; -122.66750000
Area	2.05 acres (0.83 ha)
Created	1921
Designer	Florence Holmes Gerke
Operated by	Portland Parks & Recreation

Dawson Park is a historic urban park in north Portland, Oregon, in the United States.^[1] The 2.05 acres (0.83 ha) park is located at Stanton Street and North Williams Avenue.

Dawson Park was designed by Florence Holmes Gerke,^[2] and acquired by Portland Parks & Recreation in 1921.^[3]

In November 2013, a $2.6 million renovation began, resulting in the park's closure for nearly a year. City officials, aware of gentrification of the surrounding neighborhood, utilized community input to avoid ruining the park's role as a gathering place favored by African Americans.^[4] The upgraded park now includes a new playground and interactive water feature, enhanced accessibility and lighting, and new barbecue and picnic areas. Dawson Park also features double-sided artistic medallions designed by Isaka Shamsud-Din, with traditional African patterns on one side and depictions of the neighborhood on the opposite side.^[5] Additionally, the twelve artistic "story boulders" were added to the park to help preserve its history.^[6]

• African Americans in Oregon
• List of parks in Portland, Oregon

• Media related to Dawson Park (Portland, Oregon) at Wikimedia Commons