Had an 1845 coin toss between two settlers gone differently this west coast city would be called Boston?

Had an 1845 coin toss between two settlers gone differently this west coast city would be called Boston?

Portland
Portland got its name when Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove flipped a coin in 1845. Lovejoy was from Massachusetts and he wanted to name the new settlement Boston.

What was Portland almost named instead?

However, the city was nearly named Boston, Oregon. In 1843, two settlers from New England claimed the land and thus became the city founders. Asa Lovejoy was from Boston, Massachusetts and wanted to name the new settlement after Beantown (the nickname for Boston).

Was Portland Oregon almost named Boston?

The Portland Penny is an 1835 American copper penny that was used in an 1845 coin toss to name the new town of Portland. Pettygrove retrieved a penny from his pocket, and they agreed to a two-out-of-three-toss contest—Boston if Lovejoy won, Portland if Pettygrove won.

How was the name Portland decided?

The history of the city of Portland, Oregon, began in 1843 when business partners William Overton and Asa Lovejoy filed to claim land on the west bank of the Willamette River in Oregon Country. In 1845 the name of Portland was chosen for this community by coin toss.

What city was named after a coin flip?

Portland’s
The City of Portland’s two founders, Francis Pettygrove from Portland, Maine and Asa Lovejoy from Boston, Massachusetts, both wanted to name the fledgling site—then known as The Clearing—after their respective home towns. The coin toss was decided in 1845 with two out of three tosses which Pettygrove won.

Why do they call it Oregon?

The name “Oregon” might have been derived from a 1715 French map that references the Wisconsin River as “Ouaricon-sint.” Another possibility is that the name “Oregon” stems from an English army officer’s reference in the late 18th century to “the River called by the Indians Ouragon.” Still another possibility is that …

Is Portland Oregon named after Portland Maine?

The city was laid out in 1845 and, after two of its early citizens flipped a penny, was named for Portland, Maine, rather than Boston, Massachusetts. Early growth was stimulated by a number of gold rushes and the flow of immigrants along the Oregon Trail. Portland attracted a large population of Chinese immigrants.

What is Portland currency?

The US dollar is the only currency accepted in Portland, OR, and it is unlikely that you will be able to use another currency, even at the airport.

What city was named after a coin toss?

The City of Portland’s two founders, Francis Pettygrove from Portland, Maine and Asa Lovejoy from Boston, Massachusetts, both wanted to name the fledgling site—then known as The Clearing—after their respective home towns. The coin toss was decided in 1845 with two out of three tosses which Pettygrove won.

Was Portland Oregon named after Portland Maine?

Why is Portland called Rip City?

The nickname Rip City is usually used in the context of the city’s NBA team, the Portland Trail Blazers. The term was coined by the team’s play-by-play announcer Bill Schonely during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 18, 1971, the Blazers’ first season.

Was Portland ever an island?

The Isle of Portland is a tied island, 6 kilometres (4 mi) long by 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) wide, in the English Channel. Portland Harbour, in between Portland and Weymouth, is one of the largest man-made harbours in the world. The harbour was made by the building of stone breakwaters between 1848 and 1905.

When did Francis Pettygrove and Asa Lovejoy flip a coin?

In 1845, Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove flipped a coin in the parlor. “Pettygrove was from Portland, Maine and Asa Lovejoy was from Boston, Massachusetts, so they both were betting on what to name Portland. Best two out of three. Portland won,” said Lisa Demarais, recreation programmer for Ermatinger House.

Who was the winner of the coin toss?

Lovejoy was from Boston, Massachusetts, while Pettygrove was from Portland, Maine. Pettygrove won the coin toss two out of three times and the rest as they say is history.

Where was the coin toss in Oregon City?

A Coin Toss Named Portland, Oregon. Pioneers Asa Lovejoy from Boston Massachusetts and Francis Pettygrove of Portland, Maine split the site’s land claim, and in 1845 settled the decision on a coin toss. Pettygrove won the best two-out-of-three coin toss in the parlor of the Francis Ermatinger House in Oregon City and the rest is history.

Which is city’s name was decided by a coin toss?

…Portland, Oregon’s name was determined by a coin flip. Two New England natives, Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove had to make the decision as they both owned the area. They had their hometowns in mind for potential names. Lovejoy was from Boston, Massachusetts, while Pettygrove was from Portland, Maine.