Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden - Grant Park - Portland - Oregon

Do I really need to introduce Beverly Cleary? Surely everyone knows Ramona and Beezus? Henry and Ribsy? Emily's Runaway Imagination? Jean and Johnny?

So when I found myself in the neighborhood with Darlene of Blazing Hot Wok, we took a detour to stop at the Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden at Grant Park. The statues, erected in 1995, are located beside the tennis courts. Ah, I remember several high school tennis matches on those courts. The statues went up after I had already left Portland. The books are set in this neighborhood because that's where she grew up and went to school. (Mr. Holland's Opus was also filmed at Grant High School.)

Ramona.


Henry.


And Ribsy.


No Beezus though! I wonder why? Did they not fundraise enough?

Afterward, I snapped some photos of Klickitat Street. Yes, it's a real street.


Except, it's been sooo many years since I've read the Ramona books, I wasn't sure where the Quimbys would have lived exactly. Turns out, I was a few blocks off. It's Klickitat and 28th. Oh well.


This still gives you a good idea of the neighborhood though.


And Fernwood Middle School has now been renamed Beverly Cleary School.


And so ends my brief nostalgia.

All Oregon posts can be found with the tag Series: Oregon, but I suggest reading this particular trip in this order:
PDX and My Parents' Chihuahuas
Salvador Molly's - Portland - Oregon
Why My Mom's Banh Canh Cua (Vietnamese Thick Noodle Soup with Crab) Is Better Than Your Momma's
Ha & VL - Portland - Oregon
Karma Cafe - Portland - Oregon
Oc Xao Nam He (Vietnamese Clams Sauteed with Mushrooms and Chives)
Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden - Grant Park - Portland - Oregon
Pok Pok - Portland - Oregon
Portland Farmers Market at PSU - Portland - Oregon
Downtown Portland - Oregon Redux
Mill Ends Park (Smallest Park in the World) - Portland - Oregon
Tabor - Portland - Oregon
Kenny & Zuke's Delicatessen - Portland - Oregon 
Mom's Chao Vit (Vietnamese Rice Porridge with Duck)
Oriental Food Value Supermarket - Portland - Oregon
Mom's Bun Bo Hue (Vietnamese Hue-Style Beef Noodle Soup)

Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden
Grant Park
NE 33rd Ave. and NE Brazee St.
Portland, OR 97212
503-823-2223

Beverly Cleary Tribute Fountain
June 1 to September 15
11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
503-823-3642

*****
1 year ago today, Nubi Yogurt - San Gabriel (Closed).
2 years ago today, banh u nuoc tro (lye water dumplings) and banh ba trang (the Vietnamese pronunciation and spelling of Chinese bak chang (meat dumplings)) for Tet Nua Nam (Vietnamese half-new year which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month on the lunar calendar).
3 years ago today, the '88s graduated from high school and we all dined at Zen Buffet - San Gabriel.

1.5