For us? You shouldn’t have.

We think living in Portland is the greatest gift of all, but our city has actually been on the receiving end of quite a few delightful donations. From parkland to major donations, check out these three gifts given to the city.

Benson Bubblers | The iconic copper drinking fountains were first gifted to the City of Portland by Simon Benson, a local timberman and philanthropist, more than 100 years ago. Although rumors about their origin range from a thirsty young girl on the Fourth of July to a ploy to keep loggers out of the saloon, there's no consensus on why Benson funded these water stations. The 120+ bubblers — which come in both four-bowl and single-bowl variations — are now maintained by the Portland Water Bureau.

Terwilliger Parkway |Blacksmith James Terwilliger’s heirs donated about 19 acres of his land to the city in 1909 with the explicit intention of it being used for a “park and boulevard system.” When the full roadway opened in 1914, more than 200 cars paraded along the scenic boulevard.

The Portland Art Museum's main building opened at its current location during the Great Depression. | Photo by M.O. Stevens

Schnitzer donations to Portland Art Museum |Decades of gifts from the Schnitzer family — particularly philanthropist Arlene Schnitzer — include an extensive collection of Han dynasty artifacts in 2005 and a $10 million donation in 2020, which became the largest individual donation in the museum’s 127-year history.

1803 Fund | Penny and Phil Knight, the co-founder of Nike, pledged $400 million to Portland’s 1803 Fund, which invests in the city’s Black community, including the Albina neighborhood. The gift ranked No. 4 in the US for the biggest charitable donations from individuals or their foundations in 2023.

These extraordinary gifts not only add character and value to our city but also show how generosity can have a lasting impact. Do you know of another major gift donated to our city? Let us know.