Construction Starts Tomorrow to Restore Portland’s Riot-Damaged Elk Sculpture and Historic Fountain

PORTLAND, Ore. — Crews begin work tomorrow (Monday) on reinstating Portland’s iconic elk, badly damaged during the 2020 riots, to its platform in downtown’s Southwest Main Street.

The city workforce will return the sculpture and an upgraded fountain with a $1.5 million budget to make the sculpture earthquake resilient and the fountain more efficient.

Construction Work Will Disrupt Traffic

Residents are warned that the construction will force the closure of Main Street between Southwest Third and Fourth Avenues. Work will continue until the winter months. City officials say traffic detours and road closures will change as construction progresses.

The Thompson Elk Fountain was donated to Portland by former Mayor David P. Thompson in 1900. The elk, which was on display between Chapman and Lownsdale Squares for 120 years, was entrenched as a tourist destination and cherished civic landmark.

Mayor Thompson’s donation honored the elk that once roamed the Willamette Valley.

The elk previously stood on a granite pedestal that was badly damaged during the 2020 riots when it was spray-painted and burned.

The fountain will be upgraded with an underground reservoir and a new water reticulation pump to conserve 6.8 million gallons of water a year.