Portland Toppled Statues Should Not Be Put Back Up: Commission

PORTLAND, OR —Five statues that were toppled and, in some cases, spray painted during last year's protests will not be returned to where they once stood. That's the word from the Regional Arts & Culture Council's board of directors.

The board endorsed a proposal from their Public Art Committee, which oversees the acquisition of art in public spaces in Portland.

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The statues are:

• The one of Harvey Scott, former editor and part owner of The Oregonian. It had stood on Mt. Tabor.
• A statue of a pioneer family that had stood in Chapman Square.
• The statue of George Washington that was at Sandy and 57th.
• The statues of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln that had been downtown in the Park Blocks.

A sixth statue – The Elk statue – will return to downtown.

The other five will remain as part of the city's collection though it hasn't been decided if they will be publicly displayed.

RACC will have a public meeting in October to discuss what to do with the statues.