This important park in Portland’s history was the city's first public rose garden, and it has the second oldest playground in town.

Liverpool Liz, a local businesswoman, originally owned peninsula Park. It has been a roadhouse, a racetrack for quarter-mile horse racing, an auto park, and a campground. In 1909 the park was purchased by the city and thoroughly planned and remodeled due to Portland's 1912 'City Beautiful' movement. Completed in 1913, much remains of the original features, including the lantern-style streetlights, the stone pillars, vast brickwork, and the nearly 100-year-old fountain in the center of the rose garden.

Nowadays, this park has a lot of amenities and activities available to the public, such as an accessible picnic area, accessible restrooms, two playgrounds, and one splash pad, a historically designated bandstand, paved paths, soccer and softball fields, basketball and tennis courts, and a beautiful rose garden with its centenary fountain. Also, Peninsula Park has a community center with an outdoor pool available during the summer season.

Finally, it’s important to mention that this park doesn’t have parking lots available, and because it is located in a residential area, it isn’t that easy to find where to park. If you can, I suggest you visit Peninsula Park on weekdays when the park isn’t busy. It is very worth seeing this place, especially in late spring and summer when the roses bloom. Besides that, it’s a wonderful time for your kids to enjoy the splash pad area!