Damascus Tutors Come To You

Labeled “The Smallest Town with the Biggest Ideas,” Damascus, Oregon is only a few miles southeast of downtown Portland. Pottery maker Edward Pedigo is credited with giving the town its name. Pedigo believed he had a similar spiritual awakening when he approached the tiny settlement in 1866 as Saul (Paul) of Tarsus claimed he experienced on the road outside of Damascus, Syria during biblical times. The town’s people agreed with the name and the Damascus Post Office was promptly established in 1867. Unfortunately, the streetcar from Portland bypassed Damascus on its way to nearby Boring in the late 1800’s and the post office closed in 1904. One of the oldest buildings in the town is the Old Damascus Schoolhouse built in 1876 and still in use today as an art studio. In 1959 Damascus was the site of one of the largest celebrations of Oregon’s Centennial. In commemoration, the children of Damascus collected 20 tons of candle wax and the town constructed a 21-foot Centennial Peace Candle which was lit on June 14, 1959 and burned for 100 days. Today, a steel replica of the candle stands as a monument in Damascus.

As a response to the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle, Damascus staged the “Little World’s Fair.” The stated purpose of the fair was to celebrate the “Man of the Past” just as Seattle was celebrating “Man in Space.” And, while Seattle built the Space Needle with a rotating restaurant on top, Damascus constructed a carousel which also included a dining area with a horse attached to keep the carousel rotating in circles. The “Little World’s Fair” was set up on a 22-acre site that was part carnival and part old west town complete with a midway full of rides, an Indian village with teepees, an opera house, blacksmith shop, hotel and a city hall with jail. Live entertainers from as far away as Hollywood performed during the fair and Mark Hatfield, the governor of Oregon at the time, made an appearance.

It’s certain that a Damascus tutor will get you caught up on your academics so you can take some time to enjoy Damascus and the Portland metropolitan area. As the largest city in Oregon, Portland offers many worthwhile activities and attractions. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in downtown Portland is ranked as a top science center in the United States and is known for its innovative displays and educational programs. One of the most popular current attractions at the museum is “Pompei: The Exhibition” which transports visitors back to first century Italy and the majesty of the Roman Empire. The exhibit includes a 4D theater experience and 200 artifacts from Pompeii, the site of the famous 79 A.D. volcano eruption which destroyed the town but left behind a wealth of archeological remains.

With over one million visitors every year, the Oregon Zoo in Portland is popular to residents and tourists alike. The zoo includes several individual habitats housing animals from around the world. Exhibits include “Eagle Canyon,” “Elephant Lands” and “Cougar Crossing.” Established in 1888, it is the oldest zoo in the United States west of Mississippi River.