The Lovejoy Columns, standing proud in Portland's Pearl District today, have quite the backstory. Weighing a whopping 29,000 lbs each, they were moved from their original spot on Northwest 10th Avenue in 2005. But that's not the whole story - these babies need a bit of TLC to shine once more. The Regional Arts & Culture Council is on the hunt for photographs showing the original murals to help with their restoration project.
The Lovejoy Columns were once the supporting stars of the Lovejoy Ramp, a 2,000 feet long viaduct that carried westbound traffic to the Broadway Bridge over the freight tracks in Portland's Pearl District from 1927 to 1999. Greek immigrant Tom Stefopoulos, a master calligrapher, brought these marble pillars to life with his beautiful murals. His designs featured Greek mythology, Americana, and witty aphorisms adorning the landscapes and fanciful owls.
Unfortunately, photographic evidence does not exist for all of Tom's masterpieces.yet. Hopefully, someone out there has the goods to uncover the missing pieces of this vibrant story.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Friendly Jane
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